Abstract: A method of treating a subject, in particular a human, suffering from non-small cell lung cancer includes administering a bufadienolide to the subject. A method of inhibiting the proliferation and inducing the cell death of non-small cell lung cancer cells, a method of inhibiting the Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) kinase activity in non-small cell lung cancer cells harboring an abnormality in the EGFR gene, and a method of inhibiting Na+/K+-ATPase in non-small cell lung cancer cells includes contacting those cells with a bufadienolide. Proscillaridin A as bufadienolide, with the structure of Formula (III) has advantageously high cytotoxicity against EGFR-dependent non-small cell lung cancer at nano-molar levels while having low toxicity to normal lung cells.

Abstract: This invention provides a method of treating lung cancer including administering a therapeutically effective amount of a compound of 0089-0022 formula I to a subject in need thereof. The compound activates pyruvate kinase M2 isoform (PKM2) to treat the lung cancer. In one example, the lung cancer is Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC).