MET (Mesenchymal Epithelial Transition proto-oncogene receptor tyrosine kinase) is a gene found in cells that is important for cell growth and survival.   

In some people, the MET gene begins to mutate or change, and it can be a driving cause of cancer.  When changes in the MET gene cause lung cancer, it’s called MET-positive or MET+ lung cancer. 

MET-positive lung cancer can be found through biomarker testing. Biomarker testing tells your healthcare team what mutations or changes cancer cells have, and your results can help guide your healthcare team to the best treatment for you. People with stages 1B through 4B (IB through IVB) non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) should ask for comprehensive biomarker testing because it looks for all known biomarkers instead of just a few.

There are many different types of changes that can occur in MET in lung cancer. Two of the most common changes are:

• MET exon 14 skipping mutations, which may cause cells to make a more stable protein that is always telling the cancer cells to grow.
• c-MET protein overexpression, which may cause cells to grow and spread out of control.

Not all changes in MET for NSCLC are treated the same way. Knowing the specific type of change that occurred in MET is an important part of understanding your treatment plan. 

• It most often occurs in a type of NSCLC called adenocarcinoma. 
• It's most commonly found in people over 60 years old and people without a smoking history.

 If your biomarker testing finds that you have a MET exon 14 skipping change or a c-MET overexpression, you will most likely be given a type of treatment known as a targeted therapy. Targeted therapies are a special type of drug that can "target" cancer cells based on what makes them different from healthy cells. Because of this, healthy cells in the body are often not affected by targeted therapies, resulting in fewer side effects. 

Most targeted therapy treatments come in the form of a pill, but a few are given through an IV or a port (a small tube inserted in a vein). The drug names that end in -ib are pills and can be taken at home. The drug names that end in -mab are given through an IV at a cancer center. 

Below is a list of targeted therapy drugs that are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use with MET-positive NSCLC. The FDA approves each drug for use in NSCLC at specific stages of the disease.  

Everyone is different, and the side effects you may have while receiving treatment can vary. Some people experience side effects, while others don’t. Ask a member of your healthcare team about the possible side effects of your treatment and when to seek medical attention.