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REVIEW article

Front. Oncol.
Sec. Cancer Molecular Targets and Therapeutics
Volume 14 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1504139

Advances in DLL3-Targeted Therapies for Small Cell Lung Cancer: Challenges, Opportunities, and Future Directions

Provisionally accepted
Jianhua Ding Jianhua Ding *Chaihong Chaihong Chaihong Chaihong
  • Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) remains one of the most aggressive and challenging malignancies to treat, with limited therapeutic options and poor outcomes. Recent advances in understanding SCLC biology have identified Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) as a promising target for novel therapies. This review explores the evolving landscape of DLL3-targeted therapies in SCLC, examining their mechanistic basis, preclinical promise, and clinical development. We discuss various therapeutic modalities, including antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), bispecific T-cell engagers (BiTEs), chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapies, and emerging approaches such as near-infrared photoimmunotherapy (NIR-PIT) and radiopharmaceutical therapy (RPT). The review highlights the challenges encountered in translating these promising approaches into clinical practice, including the setbacks faced by early DLL3-targeted therapies like Rovalpituzumab Tesirine (Rova-T). We also explore potential strategies to overcome these obstacles, emphasizing the need for a more nuanced understanding of DLL3 biology and its role in SCLC pathogenesis. The integration of cutting-edge technologies and interdisciplinary collaboration is proposed as a path forward to optimize DLL3-targeted therapies and improve outcomes for SCLC patients. This comprehensive overview provides insights into the current state and future directions of DLL3-targeted therapies, underscoring their potential to revolutionize SCLC treatment paradigms.

    Keywords: Small Cell Lung Cancer, Delta-like ligand 3, targeted therapy, Antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific T-cell engagers

    Received: 30 Sep 2024; Accepted: 19 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Ding and Chaihong. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Jianhua Ding, Taylor's University, Subang Jaya, Malaysia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.