New agents in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer treatment.

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths worldwide. Novel targeted therapies based on specific molecular and biological characteristics of lung cancer have emerged as a new treatment paradigm. The current globally accepted standard of treatment for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is platinum-based combination therapy. Recently, several ongoing phase I and II trials with new drugs in NSCLC have been registered, such as sorafenib, sunitinib, mTOR inhibitors and ASA404. The optimal use of new agents is more likely in combination with standard cytotoxic or other targeted agents. Further investigations into adverse events with targeted therapy are urgently needed as these impact an increasing number of patients.