The aim of this chapter is to describe the role of systemic anti-cancer
therapy in the management of lung cancer. The introduction describes the different
sub-types of lung cancer as this is highly pertinent to the treatment options available.
We move on to discuss the main sub-types of systemic anti-cancer therapy used for
lung cancer and their mechanisms of action; specifically regarding cytotoxic
chemotherapy, targeted therapy including tyrosine kinase inhibitors, monoclonal
antibodies and immunotherapy, namely checkpoint inhibitors. From here we move on
to discuss adjuvant systemic anti-cancer therapy following surgical resection for both
small cell lung cancer and non-small cell lung cancer. Following this, we move on to
describe systemic anti-cancer therapy for incurable lung cancer starting with the recent
historical perspective and the remarkable changes and developments that have occurred
in this field over the last ten years. We discuss systemic therapy for small cell lung
cancer and non-small cell lung cancer, focussing on non-mutated adenocarcinoma,
EGFR and ALK mutant adenocarcinoma and squamous cell lung cancer. In conclusion,
we describe future perspectives and the importance of a joined-up approach to
diagnosis, investigation and management to improve outcomes for patients with lung
cancer.
Keywords: ALK Mutant Lung Cancer, Adjuvant Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy,
Cytotoxic Chemotherapy, Checkpoint Inhibitors, EGFR Mutant Lung Cancer,
Immunotherapy, Monoclonal Antibodies, Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma,
Palliative Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy, Ros-1 Mutant Lung Cancer, Systemic
Anti-Cancer Therapy, Small-Cell Lung Cancer, Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors.
