Immunotherapy in Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancers: Current Status and Updates

Abstract

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major health burden, and novel therapeutic options are needed to help solve this problem. One such option is immunotherapy, which targets immune checkpoint molecules that inhibit cancer cells, decreasing immune system activation, for example, immunotherapies target PD-1, its ligand PD-L1, and CTLA-4. There have been major advances in the development of agents that inhibit these molecules, called immune checkpoint inhibitors, and several of them are already approved for usage in NSCLC patients, especially in advanced stages. In this review, the reasons why immune checkpoint inhibitors could be beneficial and the clinical results of studies using these drugs for advanced or recurrent NSCLC patients are discussed, as is the safety profile of the drugs.

Keywords: CTLA-4; PD-1; PD-L1; immune checkpoint inhibitors; non-small cell lung cancer.

Figure 1

Schematic overview of immune checkpoints in NSCLC and ICI agents targeting specific immune checkpoint molecules. APC, antigen-presenting cell; TCR, T cell receptor; MHC, major histocompatibility complex; PD-1, programmed cell death protein-1; PD-L1, programmed cell death protein ligand 1; CTLA-4, cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated protein 4.