Association of CHEK2 polymorphisms with the efficacy of platinum-based chemotherapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer in Chinese never-smoking women

In China, lung cancer is the most common cause of the deaths by malignancies. Studies show that the incidence of lung cancer is closely related to the ability to repair DNA damage caused by environmental exposure and other factors. Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80% of all lung cancer cases. As first-line therapy for advanced NSCLC, platinum-based combination chemotherapy has the effect of enhancing cancer patients’ overall survival (OS) and quality of life (1). However, different groups of patients still have different prognoses. It is essential to find precise and effective biomarkers in order to establish personal treatment regimens for each patient. There is arising overall trend toward an increasing incidence and mortality of NSCLC among females, especially in those who never smoked (2). Previous studies have researched the prognosis factors in lung cancer for women, including performance status (PS) and clinical stages of the disease (3)