Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumor types and the leading cause of cancer‑associated death worldwide. Different types of lung cancer exhibit differences in terms of pathophysiology and pathogenesis, and also treatment and prognosis. Accumulating evidence has indicated that circular RNAs (circRNAs) are abnormally expressed among different types of lung cancer and confer important biological functions in progression and prognosis. However, studies comparing different circRNAs in lung cancer subtypes are scarce. Furthermore, circRNAs have an important role in drug resistance and are related to clinicopathological features in lung cancer. Summaries of the association of circRNAs with drug resistance are also scarce in the literature. The present study outlined the biological functions of circRNAs and focused on discriminating differential circRNA patterns and mechanisms in three different types of lung cancer. The emerging roles of circRNAs in the resistance to chemotherapy, targeted therapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy were also highlighted. Understanding these aspects of circRNAs sheds light on novel physiological and pathophysiological processes of lung cancer and suggests the application of circRNAs as biomarkers for diagnosis and prognosis, as well as therapeutic resistance.
Keywords: circRNAs; lung adenocarcinoma; lung cancer; lung squamous cell carcinoma; non‑small cell lung cancer; therapeutic resistance.