The Role ofMET Receptor Tyrosine Kinase in Non-Small Cell Lung
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death in
the U.S., with an estimated 220,000 new cases diagnosed
and 160,000 deaths annually [1]. Histologically, the majority
of lung cancers (75%– 85%) are classified as non-small
cell lung cancer (NSCLC), of which adenocarcinoma (40%)
and squamous cell carcinoma (30%–35%) are the two most
common subtypes [2]. Standard first-line treatment of advanced
NSCLC with platinum-based doublet chemotherapy
is associated with a median survival duration of 10
months [3, 4], and second-line treatment with single-agent docetaxel
or pemetrexed is associated with amedian survival duration
of 8 months [5]. Better understanding of the molecular
pathophysiology and natural history of NSCLC has led to the developmentof
targetedagents thatpromise toimprove theseoutcomes.