ALK INHIBITORS AND POSSIBLE SMALL MOLECULES OF NON-SMALL CELL LUNG CANCER: A LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Lung cancer is among the deadliest cancers for humans and makes up about 13% of all diagnosed cancer. NSCLC, which accounts for 85% of all lung cancer is epithelial lung cancer and consists of four stages. Many proteins can cause NSCLC, among them is Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK). ALK-EML-4 fusion form causes tumorigenesis. Patients with NSCLC having EML4- ALK gene rearrangements are not associated with ethnicity, smoking or sex. According to this factor, many available small molecules have been developed which can inhibit ALK and therefore decreases the progression of NSCLC in patients but certain limitations of these drugs have led to the discovery of more potent small molecules. Treatment with small molecules has provided effective clinical benefit with very little toxicity. This study aims at finding potent small molecules using BindingDB according to their IC50 values to overcome the resistance of preexisting drug molecules.