Novel therapeutic targets identified for small cell lung cancer

Newly discovered molecular differences between small cell lung cancer and nonsmall cell lung cancer have revealed PARP1 and EZH2 as potential therapeutic targets for patients with small cell lung cancer, according to the results of a study published in Cancer Discovery. In order to identify molecular differences between NSCLC and the more aggressive small cell lung cancer, Lauren A. Byers, assistant professor of thoracic/head and neck medical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, and colleagues used reverse phase protein arrays that allow the examination of the expression of about 200 proteins that are in key signaling pathways known to be involved in driving cancer growth. Read more here.

Study mentioned: Byers LA, et al. Proteomic Profiling Identifies Dysregulated Pathways in Small Cell Lung Cancer and Novel Therapeutic Targets Including PARP1. Cancer Discovery. Published OnlineFirst September 6, 2012.