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c-MET Inhibitors in the Treatment of Lung Cancer

  • Lung Cancer (HA Wakelee, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Opinion statement

Lung cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm and constitutes the most common neoplastic cause of death globally. The results of therapies employing standard chemotherapy are unsatisfactory. Currently, efforts are being made to personalize the therapy; numerous clinical studies are being conducted around the world to assess the efficacy and safety of agents directed at molecular targets. One of these molecular targets is the c-MET proto-oncogene, whose primary ligand is hepatocyte growth factor (HGF). C-MET hyperactivity has been observed in numerous neoplasms, including non-small-cell lung carcinoma. Prolonged or continuous activity of the receptor leads to excessive cell proliferation and is related to the development or progression of neoplastic disease. C-MET inhibitors can be classified into three groups: small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors of the c-MET receptor (crizotinib, tivantinib, cabozantinib, foretinib), as well as monoclonal antibodies against c-MET (onartuzumab) and against the HGF ligand (ficlatuzumab, rilotumumab). The efficacy and safety of these agents is assessed both in monotherapy and in combination with other molecularly targeted agents. Furthermore, the toxicity profile of c-MET inhibitors is completely different from that of standard chemotherapy. The best understood c-MET inhibitor used in the treatment of non-small-cell lung carcinoma patients is crizotinib. It is registered for patients with the presence of ALK gene rearrangements after the failure of the first line of treatment based on platinum derivatives. The purpose of this present paper is to present clinical studies that assessed the efficacy and safety of c-MET inhibitors for the treatment of non-small-cell lung carcinoma, as well as current indications for the use of these molecules.

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Conflict of InterestJoanna Goździk-Spychalska, Katarzyna Szyszka-Barth, Łukasz Spychalski, Katarzyna Ramlau, Jerzy Wójtowicz, Halina Batura-Gabryel, and Rodryg Ramlau declare that they have no conflict of interest..

Human and Animal Rights and Informed ConsentThis article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pulmonology, Allergology and Lung Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

    Joanna Goździk-Spychalska PhD & Halina Batura-Gabryel

  2. Department of Clinic of Oncology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

    Katarzyna Szyszka-Barth & Rodryg Ramlau

  3. Department of Oncology with the Subdepartment of Diurnal Chemotherapy, Wielkopolska Center of Pulmonology and Thoracosurgery of Eugenia and Janusz Zeyland, Poznan, Poland

    Łukasz Spychalski

  4. Clinical Hospital of Lord’s Transfiguration, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

    Katarzyna Ramlau

  5. Department of Otolaryngology, Poznan University Of Medical Sciences, Poznan, Poland

    Jerzy Wójtowicz

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  1. Joanna Goździk-Spychalska PhD
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Correspondence to Joanna Goździk-Spychalska PhD.

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Goździk-Spychalska, J., Szyszka-Barth, K., Spychalski, Ł. et al. c-MET Inhibitors in the Treatment of Lung Cancer. Curr. Treat. Options in Oncol. 15, 670–682 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11864-014-0313-5

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