Molecular biology of lung cancer: Clinical implications

There have been considerable advances made in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of lung cancer which include genetic and genetic alterations (methylation) in tumor suppressor genes as well as genetic and expression abnormalities in dominant oncogenes. In addition, autocrine and paracrine growth factors have been identified as well as inherited polymorphisms that predispose to the development of lung cancer. Many studies have been done on smoking damaged respiratory epithelium which have identified these abnormalities before histologic full fledged lung cancer has developed. All of these changes are being translated into the clinic as biomarkers for identifying persons at highest risk for developing lung cancer to aid in early diagnosis, as biomakers, for response to chemoprevention, as prognostic markers, and as targets for the development of new therapies.