# Pathogenic role of super-enhancers as potential therapeutic targets in lung cancer

## TL;DR

This paper explores how super-enhancers contribute to lung cancer and could be targeted for new therapies.

## Contribution

The paper reviews the role of super-enhancers in lung cancer and highlights their potential as therapeutic targets.

## Key findings

- Super-enhancers are linked to cell identity and cancer progression in lung cancer.
- Combination therapies targeting super-enhancers show promise in preclinical models.

## Abstract

Lung cancer is still one of the deadliest malignancies today, and most patients with advanced lung cancer pass away from disease progression that is uncontrollable by medications. Super-enhancers (SEs) are large clusters of enhancers in the genome’s non-coding sequences that actively trigger transcription. Although SEs have just been identified over the past 10 years, their intricate structure and crucial role in determining cell identity and promoting tumorigenesis and progression are increasingly coming to light. Here, we review the structural composition of SEs, the auto-regulatory circuits, the control mechanisms of downstream genes and pathways, and the characterization of subgroups classified according to SEs in lung cancer. Additionally, we discuss the therapeutic targets, several small-molecule inhibitors, and available treatment options for SEs in lung cancer. Combination therapies have demonstrated considerable advantages in preclinical models, and we anticipate that these drugs will soon enter clinical studies and benefit patients.