Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains one of the most aggressive thoracic malignancies
with an especially dismal prognosis. While the detection of various targetable driver
mutations and immune checkpoints have revolutionized the treatment of non-small cell
lung cancer (NSCLC), there has been only modest therapeutic innovation over the past
decades in SCLC. In this review, we aim to provide a brief summary on the clinical
relevance of recent research findings, which could soon pave the way towards a more
personalized and targeted management of SCLC patients.Substantial research on the
biological and molecular heterogeneity of SCLC has been conducted in the last years.
Recent results from comprehensive profiling studies have shown that unique major SCLC
subtypes can be distinguished based on the relative expression of key transcription
regulators (ASCL1, NEUROD1, POU2F3) or distinct inflammatory features. Understanding
the differing molecular characteristics of these distinct subtypes has resulted in
the identification of specific therapeutic vulnerabilities.The recently introduced
molecular SCLC subtype classification represents a substantial progress towards a
personalized and more efficacious approach in SCLC. The consequences of this paradigm
shift provide hope for improved patient care and clinical outcomes in this exceptionally
lethal thoracic malignancy.
