Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors as First-Line and Salvage Therapy for Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has a poor prognosis with few treatment options available for patients after failure of first-line therapy. Nivolumab is the first immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting the PD-1 to be approved in recurrent NSCLC with squamous and nonsquamous histology. More recently, pembrolizumab has also been approved as salvage therapy in PD-L1-positive recurrent NSCLC. The success of immunotherapy in malignant melanoma, previously a disease with no effective treatment, has generated optimism and expectation that some of the checkpoint inhibitors currently in clinical development will soon become available as first-line therapy and hence improve outcomes for the vast majority of patients with advanced NSCLC. This article summarizes the progress accomplished in the field and discusses controversies surrounding the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Pembrolizumab-Induced Encephalopathy: A Review of Neurological Toxicities with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors

“…They have proven efficacy in a wide range of tumor types, including melanoma, 1 renal cell carcinoma 2 , urothelial carcinoma, 3 and NSCLC. 4,5 As a group, their mechanism of action involves the inhibition of down-regulatory signals directed toward T cells. The two most effective checkpoint targets are cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA4), and the programmed cell death-1 receptor and ligand (PD-1/programmed death ligand 1).…”

Tumor-Infiltrating Neutrophils and Non-Classical Monocytes May Be Potential Therapeutic Targets for HER2negative Gastric Cancer

“…Immune checkpoint blockade, which promotes the anti-tumoral activities of T cells, is of clinical benefit for several cancers, including advanced stage melanoma, squamous and non-squamous non-small-cell lung carcinoma, and kidney carcinoma ( 44 45 46 ). However, this therapy performs below expectations in AGC.…”

Inflammatory Manifestations of Systemic Diseases in the Central Nervous System

“…Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), most commonly those targeting cytotoxic T lymphocyte antigen-4 (CTLA-4) and programmed cell death 1 pathway (PD-1) or its ligand programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1), are now used for a variety of cancer treatments including melanoma, lymphoma, renal cell carcinoma, and cancer of the bladder, liver, gastro-esophagus, lung and squamous cell cancer of the head and neck [54][55][56][57][58]. These immune checkpoints function to provide natural immune system homeostasis by inhibiting T cell activation.…”