Advanced squamous non-small-cell lung carcinoma (SqCC) has traditionally been considered the 'neglected sibling' compared with lung adenocarcinoma due to lack of effective targeted treatment options. Currently, limited progress has been made in the systemic treatment of advanced disease and combination chemotherapy remains the gold standard. However, the recent completion of the molecular characterization of SqCC revealed an interestingly complex genomic profile, comprising various genetic alterations that can potentially function as molecular targets for the development of novel targeted agents. Recent encouraging results of the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in several neoplasms has emerged as a promising novel treatment option for advanced SqCC. Future personalized studies, enrolling SqCC patients according to specific driving mutations are underway.
Keywords: NSCLC; non-small-cell lung cancer; novel therapies; review; squamous.