Novel prognostic molecular markers in lung cancer (Review)

Lung carcinoma, especially in its most commonly diagnosed non‑small cell histological form, is a challenge to diagnose and treat worldwide, due to the prognosis in patients with this type of cancer being poor and mortality rates being high. However, a number of patients with this type of lung carcinoma exhibit a longer than average overall survival. The specific molecular background of non‑small‑cell lung cancer that favors longer survival has not yet been determined. The aim of the current study was to review articles published in the years 2017‑2018 and create a list of the most important and strongest non‑conventional factors that could be used in the future assessment of the prognosis of patients with adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma of the lung who cannot undergo current targeted therapy. Analysis identified multiple prognostic factors in non‑small cell lung carcinoma, including tumor mutational burden, which was revealed to be independent of the tumor stage or grade as well as other factors, including age, sex or targeted therapy effects. The selected molecular factors exhibit the potential to be used in the treatment of patients with specific problematic lung cancer, and may contribute to setting recommendations for the diagnosis, prognosis and treatment of individual patients with lung cancer.