Histologic transformation of non-small-cell lung cancer in response to tyrosine kinase inhibitors: Current knowledge of genetic changes and molecular mechanisms.

Abstract

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death and includes two major types: non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), accounting for 85% and 15% of cases, respectively. Non-small-cell lung cancer harboring actionable driver mutations is generally treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) molecularly targeting individual oncogenes. Although TKIs have greatly contributed to better clinical outcomes, acquired resistance to them inevitably occurs. Histologic or lineage transformation is a rare but well-documented off-target mechanism associated with acquired resistance, and has been identified in settings following treatment with multiple different TKIs and other drugs. It includes neuroendocrine transformation, squamous cell transformation, and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition. Here, we review the clinicopathologic features of transformed tumors and current understanding of the key genetic alterations and biologic mechanism of lineage transformation in NSCLC, particularly TKI-triggered transformation.