Lactylation modification in lung cancer: A review of current research and future directions (Review).

Lung cancer is a common malignancy that poses risks to human health and quality of life. The primary treatment options currently available include surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. However, the aggressive metastatic nature of the disease combined with the development of drug and radiation resistance results in suboptimal survival outcomes. Consequently, there is a need to explore novel therapeutic approaches and develop more effective drugs. Lactylation, an epigenetic modification induced by lactate, alters histone proteins to modify the chromatin structure, as well as non‑histone proteins. This post‑translational modification is associated with the initiation and progression of lung cancer. Lactylation carries out a considerable role in the onset, progression and resistance of the disease by influencing tumor metabolism and the surrounding microenvironment. Targeting lactylation could provide innovative strategies for the targeted therapy of lung cancer.