Radioresistance in lung cancer: a molecular approach

Abstract

Lung cancer represents one-quarter of the deaths caused by cancer. Despite the advances in treatments, chemo and radiotherapy remain the foundation of treatment for this disease, and the survival rate is still at 10%, mainly due to the recurrences after treatment. Tumors that re-emerge after a radiation treatment are usually radioresistant and challenging to treat. This research shows that lung cancer cells that have survived treatment with radiation therapy show characteristics of cancer stem cells and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Moreover, radioresistant non-small cell lung cancer exhibited alterations of critical prosurvival signaling pathways, higher expression and activation of DNA repair genes, and altered expression of cytokines and receptors.