Targeting lung cancer using advanced drug delivery systems

Abstract Multiple therapeutics options are available for the management of nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in recent years, along with a better understanding of cancer biology. These therapies can be broadly classified as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, targeted therapy, and combination therapy. Chemotherapy is the first treatment option used in the advanced stage of the disease, showing beneficial activity for patients compared with palliative care. Among chemotherapy, research has been done and going on to explore the beneficial activity of cisplatin, gemcitabine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, carboplatin, and doxorubicin. Immunotherapy is a potential therapeutic option for lung cancer patients with robust results and multiple evidence of positive response during trial and treatments. For immunotherapy, various immune checkpoint inhibitors such as nivolumab, pembrolizumab, durvalumab, atezolizumab, and avelumab targeting programmed cell death protein 1/program cell death-ligand one pathway are in a clinical trial. Due to the recognition of various oncogenic drivers, novel targeted therapies are being investigated and established. These therapies are crucial in the management of particular patients and can be given as first-line therapy too. In targeted therapy, alectinib, ceritinib, and lorlatinib target ALK gene, whereas crizotinib targets ROS1 gene, and afatinib, erlotinib, and gefitinib target EGFR gene. Likewise, multiple drugs are administered as a combination therapy such as carboplatin-paclitaxel and cisplatin-etoposide-irinotecan, and nivolumab with platinum doublet therapy is used in lung cancer for better outcomes, synergistic effects, and reduced adverse side effects. In this book chapter, we will discuss all of these four treatment options highlighting the latest research, including clinical trials, animal studies, and in vitro studies. Our information aims to alter the paradigm on the treatment of lung cancer and highlight the fact that upcoming novel treatments are promising with many benefits for patients.