Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current and Emerging Treatment Options

Authors

Paul K Paik
Jianjun Zhang
Howard Jack West
Jonathan W Riess

Language

English

Publication Date

10-6-2025

Journal

Clinical Lung Cancer

DOI

10.1016/j.cllc.2025.10.001

PMID

41253679

Abstract

Although the pharmacologic management of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has advanced substantially in the past 2 decades, disparities in the applicability to different histologic subtypes remain. Several treatment options are not suitable for squamous NSCLC, with use restricted to nonsquamous NSCLC (eg, bevacizumab and pemetrexed) because of safety concerns or comparative activity. Differences in mutational landscapes and a lack of matched targeted therapies specific to squamous NSCLC oncogenic aberrations present additional limitations. In the absence of suitable targeted therapies, immunotherapy with or without chemotherapy is the mainstay of squamous NSCLC treatment; however, survival-related outcomes remain poorer for patients with squamous than with nonsquamous NSCLC. Several studies are investigating promising drug therapies for patients with squamous NSCLC. This review seeks to summarize the current and emerging treatment options for patients with squamous NSCLC.

Keywords

ICI, Immunotherapy, NSCLC, VEGF-A, targeted therapy

Published Open-Access

yes

Recommended Citation

Paik, Paul K; Zhang, Jianjun; West, Howard Jack; et al., "Squamous Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Current and Emerging Treatment Options" (2025). Faculty, Staff and Student Publications. 6837.
https://digitalcommons.library.tmc.edu/uthgsbs_docs/6837