Open AccessPathological transition as the arising mechanism for drug resistance in lung cancer
Author(s) -
Chen Yueqing,
Tang Waiying Yvonne,
Tong Xinyuan,
Ji Hongbin
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
cancer communications
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.119
H-Index - 53
ISSN - 2523-3548
DOI - 10.1186/s40880-019-0402-8
Subject(s) - lung cancer , pathological , drug resistance , mechanism (biology) , resistance (ecology) , drug , medicine , intensive care medicine , cancer , drug development , bioinformatics , oncology , pharmacology , biology , ecology , philosophy , epistemology , microbiology and biotechnology
Despite the tremendous efforts for improving therapeutics of lung cancer patients, its prognosis remains disappointing. This can be largely attributed to the lack of comprehensive understanding of drug resistance leading to insufficient development of effective therapeutics in clinic. Based on the current progresses of lung cancer research, we classify drug resistance mechanisms into three different levels: molecular, cellular and pathological level. All these three levels have significantly contributed to the acquisition and evolution of drug resistance in clinic. Our understanding on drug resistance mechanisms has begun to change the way of clinical practice and improve patient prognosis. In this review, we focus on discussing the pathological changes linking to drug resistance as this has been largely overlooked in the past decades.