Perspective Chapter: Molecular Pathology of Lung Cancer

Abstract

Lung cancers, due to delays in diagnosis and availability of limited treatment resources, have become the leading cause of cancer-related death globally. With the recent advances in the identification of molecular mechanisms and profile of lung cancer, the understanding of novel characteristics of the molecular pathology of lung cancers as well as knowledge of driver mutations has been enhanced that has led to the development and success of targeted strategies against lung cancer. Diagnosis and treatment of this heterogeneous group of cancer have been revolutionized with the advent of the identification of genetic alterations. This chapter will summarize the etiopathogenesis, current knowledge depicting the series of events associated with the development of lung cancer, the molecular mechanism of most common and relevant genetic alterations in lung cancer along with a brief about the use of targeted therapies in lung cancer patients.