Mechanisms of drugs-resistance in small cell lung cancer: DNA-related, RNA-related, apoptosis-related, drug accumulation and metabolism procedure

Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), the highest malignant cancer amongst different types of lung cancer, has the feature of lower differentiation, rapid growth, and poor survival rate. Despite the dramatically initial sensitivity of SCLC to various types of treatment methods, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and immunotherapy, the emergence of drugs-resistance is still a grandly clinical challenge. Therefore, in order to improve the prognosis and develop new therapeutic approaches, having a better understanding of the complex mechanisms of resistance in SCLC is of great clinical significance. This review summarized recent advances in understanding of multiple mechanisms which are involved in the resistance during SCLC treatment, including DNA-related process, RNA-related process, apoptosis-related mechanism, and the process of drug accumulation and metabolism.