Mechanisms of Resistance to Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy and Predictive Biomarkers in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constitutes most lung cancer cases. The advent of immunotherapy and targeted therapy has provided a new ray of hope for its treatment. However, these advances have been met with the significant obstacle of resistance, affecting the effectiveness of the treatment. The factors causing resistance are varied, including genetic mutations, alterations in the tumor microenvironment, and evasion of immune surveillance. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for the development of more effective treatments and for improving patient outcomes. This research topic seeks to explore the complex interplay between NSCLC and the resistance mechanisms to immunotherapy and targeted therapy, underlining the necessity for novel approaches to surmount these hurdles. Understanding these resistance mechanisms, as well as identifying predictive biomarkers for treatment response, are critical areas of research. Such biomarkers not only enable the choice of suitable therapeutic strategies but also pave the way for the development of innovative interventions to overcome resistance.

The primary objective of this Research Topic is to tackle the critical challenge of resistance in NSCLC to immunotherapy and targeted therapy. This encompasses dissecting the underlying biological mechanisms, exploring the impact of the tumor microenvironment, and recognizing predictive biomarkers that can shape treatment decisions. Recent advancements have provided insights into the genetic and molecular landscape of resistance, offering potential pathways to counteract these mechanisms. This topic encourages the submission of studies focusing on novel therapeutic targets, strategies to circumvent resistance, and the development of biomarkers for predicting treatment response.

We welcome original research articles, reviews, case reports, and methodological studies that contribute to understanding and overcoming resistance in NSCLC. Contributions should aim to advance our knowledge of the molecular and cellular processes underlying resistance, propose innovative treatment strategies, or highlight the clinical application of predictive biomarkers. This collection seeks to foster collaboration and inspire further research in overcoming one of the most significant obstacles in the treatment of NSCLC.

We aim to cover a wide range of themes within this field, encouraging contributors to address the following specific topics:
1. Exploring NSCLC treatment (Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy) resistance mechanisms for therapeutic breakthroughs.
2. Identifying biomarkers predicting (Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy) success in NSCLC.
3. Developing strategies to defeat resistance of Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy.
4. Advancing NSCLC biomarker discovery with new technologies.
5. Applying biomarker strategies clinically to combat resistance to Immunotherapy and Targeted Therapy.

Please note that purely bioinformatics papers will not be accepted for the research topic, and that papers will require validation of the basic experiments to be considered for review.

Keywords: Non-small Cell Lung Cancer, Immunotherapy, PD-1, PD-L1, Targeted Therapy, EGFR, ALK, Genetic Alterations, Resistance, Biomarkers.

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.