Recent advances in squamous non-small cell lung cancer: evidence beyond predictive biomarkers

Squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has always been characterized by a limited number of therapeutic options and by the lack of actionable biomarkers compared to its non-squamous counterpart. Recent clinical trials have led to the approval of new anti-neoplastic drugs available to both non-squamous and squamous NSCLC, consisting in a vascular-disrupting agent and two immune check-point inhibitors; additionally, a monoclonal antibody targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is currently under evaluation by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). While predictive molecular biomarkers have not been identified with consistency and are still highly demanded, these agents proved themselves noteworthy and can be considered a powerful addition to the available treatments for squamous NSCLC.