Roles of β-catenin protein in non-small cell lung cancer (Review).

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death globally, with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for the majority of lung cancer cases. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms underlying NSCLC development is essential. Cancer cells can influence the tumor immune microenvironment, angiogenesis, apoptosis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through various cell signaling pathways. Among these, the β-catenin protein, encoded by the gene, plays a pivotal role by precisely regulating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, making it a critical factor in NSCLC pathogenesis. Although numerous studies have investigated β-catenin, the present review integrates research published between 1997 and 2024 to provide a more recent comprehensive and systematic overview of the role of β-catenin in the occurrence and development of NSCLC. Specifically, the present review examines the role of β-catenin in the regulation of EMT and the tumor microenvironment, summarizes the regulatory mechanisms governing its nuclear translocation, explores its involvement in mediating resistance to EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and evaluates its potential (alongside that of its coding gene) as a prognostic biomarker.