ABSTRACT
This chapter presents recent advances in the molecular biology of lung cancer. This knowledge contributes to our understanding of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis, cancer progression, and metastasis and is essential for the subsequent development of new therapies targeted against disease-relevant genetic pathways. Proto-oncogenes are genes that contribute to malignant transformation when mutationally activated or overexpressed. In 1917, Rous reported that sarcoma in chickens could be caused by a transmissible agent. Activated proto-oncogenes contribute to carcinogenesis by driving the cell toward neoplasia. Histopathologic subtyping is becoming increasingly important for lung cancer therapy, especially with the advent of molecular targeted therapies, which have been shown to convey different risks and benefits in histologic subtypes of non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The chapter describes only selected topics regarding the therapeutic implications of lung cancer biology.
