Editorial: Treatment response and resistance to targeted therapies for NSCLC

Targeted therapies have revolutionized the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), offering a greater potency and fewer side effects compared to conventional radiotherapy and chemotherapy 1,2 . Despite their dramatic initial efficacy, acquired resistance almost invariably develops within one to two years after treatment initiation 3- 5 . Molecular mechanisms underlying treatment response and resistance in patients In summary, targeted therapy for NSCLC continues to face significant challenges. Acquired resistance remains a major barrier, driven by diverse and complex mechanisms including bypass signaling, phenotypic transformation, and compound mutations. Moreover, the heterogeneous molecular background of tumors leads to markedly varied patient responses even to the same targeted agent. Moving forward, a deeper understanding of the biology of resistance, more precise molecular screening, stratification and dynamic monitoring, and the development of novel mechanism-based combination strategies will be essential to improve long-term outcomes for patients.