Anti-PD1/PD-L1 immunotherapy has emerged as a standard of care for stage III-IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) over the past decade. Patient selection is usually based on PD-L1 expression by tumor cells and/or tumor mutational burden. However, mutations in oncogenic drivers such as EGFR, ALK, BRAF, or MET modify the immune tumor microenvironment and may promote anti-PD1/PD-L1 resistance. In this review, we discuss the molecular mechanisms associated with these mutations, which shape the immune tumor microenvironment and may impede anti-PD1/PD-L1 efficacy. We provide an overview of the current clinical data on anti-PD1/PD-L1 efficacy in NSCLC with oncogenic driver mutation.
Background
Various advanced bronchoscopy methods have been developed to reach peripheral lung lesions (PLL). In a large cohort, we aimed to assess a standardized procedure of first‐line radial‐endobronchial ultrasound (r‐EBUS) and virtual bronchoscopy planner for the diagnosis of peripheral lung cancer.
Methods
This retrospective, single center study included patients who had r‐EBUS‐guided bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of a PLL between 2008 and 2019. Cases without a final diagnosis of cancer or follow‐up were excluded.
Results
Between 2008 and 2019, 2735 patients had a r‐EBUS procedure, among whom 1627 had a final diagnosis of cancer and were included in the present study. Over the 12‐year study period, r‐EBUS became the first‐line endoscopic procedure to assess PLL (25% as first‐line bronchoscopy in 2008 vs. 92% in 2019). The frequency of the bronchus sign decreased from 2009 to 2019 (100% to 80%;
p
= 0.001), whereas US visualization of the lesion remained stable (88%). The median number of biopsies increased from two (2008 to 2014) to four (2015 to 2019) (
p
< 0.0001), with the same diagnostic efficiency (74% total and 80% when a bronchus sign was present). Of the 651 adenocarcinomas, molecular analysis was possible in 86%. PD‐L1 expression analysis was possible in 81% of cases. During the study period, the lifetime of the radial probe increased from 57 procedures to 77 procedures/probe.
Conclusion
Because r‐EBUS and VB planner is easy to perform under local anesthesia, inexpensive and efficient it can be used as a first‐line procedure to assess peripheral lung cancer.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.