Potential role of immunotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer

Abstract

Immuno checkpoint inhibitors have ushered in a new era with respect to the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Many patients are not suitable for treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (eg, gefitinib, erlotinib, and afatinib) or with anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors (eg, crizotinib and ceritinib). As a result, anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors may play a novel role in the improvement of outcomes in a metastatic setting. The regulation of immune surveillance, immunoediting, and immunoescape mechanisms may play an interesting role in this regard either alone or in combination with current drugs. Here, we discuss advances in immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer as well as future perspectives within this framework.

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Keywords:

• immunotherapy
• non-small-cell lung cancer
• nivolumab
• pembrolizumab
• ipilimumab
• clinical trials
• PD1
• PDL1
• CTLA4

Disclosure

RAM has received honoraria from the Pfizer Advisory Board, Zodiac Advisory Board, AstraZeneca, and the National Science Centre (Krakow, Poland), and an educational grant from Pierre Fabre. RAM is an ad hoc consultant at the Ministry of Health, Brasília, Brazil. The other authors have no conflicts of interest related to this manuscript.