adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung

Chenghui Li,1,2 Hongyang Lu2,3 1The Second Clinical Medical College of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Thoracic Medical Oncology, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 3Zhejiang Key Laboratory of Diagnosis & Treatment Technology on Thoracic Oncology (Lung and Esophagus), Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China Abstract: Adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung (ASC), a relatively rare subtype of non-small-cell lung cancer, is defined as a malignancy containing components of lung adenocarcinoma (ADC) and lung squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Although ASC has biological characteristics of ADC and SCC, it is not by any means a simple hybrid of two components above. It is extremely difficult to diagnose preoperatively; pathology of surgically resected gross specimen is the most effective means for adequate diagnosis of ASC. Platinum-based postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy for at least four cycles can significantly improve the survival in stage III patients with ASC. Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) such as erlotinib and gefitinib can be the effective therapeutic strategies for advanced EGFR-mutant ASC. The studies of crizotinib in the treatment of patients with ASC are very limited. Immune checkpoint blockade therapy may be a potential treatment choice for ASC patients. Keywords: adenosquamous carcinoma of the lung, clinicopathological characteristics, histogenesis, prognosis, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy