The oncologist
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The first generation of clinical trials of targeted agents in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) treatment has concluded. To date, only a few of these new agents can offer hope of a substantial impact on the natural history of the disease. Nevertheless, clinically meaningful advances have already been achieved. ⋯ Clinical trials of multitargeted therapy may represent the second generation of studies in this field, and some of these are already ongoing. In a recent phase I/II trial, the combination of erlotinib and bevacizumab demonstrated very promising activity in the treatment of advanced NSCLC pretreated with chemotherapy. Whether the multitargeted approach is best performed using combinations of selective agents or agents that intrinsically target various targets is a matter of debate.