Lung cancer is the biggest cancer killer in the world. Cigarette smoking is the primary cause of most lung cancers, contributing to nearly 85% of cases, although many people diagnosed with NSCLC have never smoked. Hereditary factors can play a role.

Lung cancer is not just one disease. Subtypes are classified according to the type of cells, location of the tumor and presence of specific gene alterations. Different subtypes need to be treated differently.

Targeted therapy is a newer form of treatment available to advanced lung cancer patients. It works by recognizing specific targets in cancer cells, thus interfering with cancer cell growth and division in different ways and at various points during the development, growth and spread of cancer. By focusing on molecular and cellular changes that are specific to the relevant subtypes of lung cancer, these ‘targeted’ therapies may be more effective than current treatments and less harmful to normal cells, thereby reducing unwanted treatment side effects.