Novel approaches to the treatment of small-cell lung cancer

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is characterized by its initial responsivenes s to chemotherapy and the appearance of early metastases. Although combinat ion chemotherapy, in some instances together with radiation, has improved t he prognosis of this disease, in most patients SCLC ultimately recurs in a drug-resistant form. Several new strategies for the eradication of SCLC are being explored at the preclinical level. The identification of selective t arget molecules on the surface of SCLC cells, together with the progress ma de in antibody engineering, have provided new generations of antibodies and immunoconjugates as well as growth factor antagonists and inhibitors. In a ddition, recent advances in understanding the biology of SCLC have stimulat ed new investigations searching to counter the molecular basis underlying t he increased proliferation and the apoptosis deficiency of SCLC cells. This can be achieved using antisense oligodeoxynucleotides that repress the exp ression of growth factor receptors and anti-apoptosis genes, or by gene rep lacement to compensate for the loss or inactivation of tumor suppressor gen es.