Abstract
Aptamers are short, single-stranded oligonucleotides which are capable of specifically binding to single molecules and cellular structures. Aptamers are also known as “chemical antibodies”. Compared to monoclonal antibodies, they are characterized by higher reaction specificity, lower molecular weight, lower production costs, and lower variability in the production stage. Aptamer research has been extended during the past twenty years, but only Macugen® has been accepted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to date, and few aptamers have been examined in clinical trials. In vitro studies with aptamers have shown that they may take part in the regulation of cancer progression, angiogenesis, and metastasis processes. In this article, we focus on the potential use of aptamers in non-small cell lung cancer treatment.
Highlights
85% of patients with lung cancer are identified as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases
The dominant direction in the development of aptamer technologies is the creation of bispecific aptamers or their use in combined therapy with other drugs; that is, targeted molecular therapies or immunotherapy
According to the presented data, aptamers help to make nanoparticles less immunogenic and more specific, whereas nanoparticles prolong the half-life of aptamers in plasma and moderate their clearance
Summary
85% of patients with lung cancer are identified as non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cases. Surgical resection takes place in only 15% of all NSCLC cases and most patients start their treatment in stages IIIB or IV. During these stages, cancer cells are progressing into epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT). Routine diagnostic procedures commonly identify mutations in EGFR and BRAF genes and rearrangements in ALK, ROS1, and NTRK1-3 genes [4] These are predictable factors for treatment strategies in patients with non-resectable NSCLC in stage IIIB or IV [5]. Heterogeneous tumor structure, extensive metastases in the advanced stage of the disease, specificity of the intra-organ systemic distribution of the drug, and lack of assessment of micro-environmental factors in routine diagnostics contribute to unsatisfactory treatment results. In view of the above, aptamers may have great potential for targeted molecular therapies in cancer patients
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