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Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy
Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy 3/2019

01-03-2019 | NSCLC | Review

Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: insights from long-term survivors

Authors: Ernest Nadal, Bartomeu Massuti, Manuel Dómine, Rosario García-Campelo, Manuel Cobo, Enriqueta Felip

Published in: Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy | Issue 3/2019

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Abstract

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) targeting the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)–programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) axis have shown promising results in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients, some of them with persistent responses to these agents that form a population of long-term survivors. Despite the variable definition of PD-L1 positivity in tumors, an association between expression and response has been reasonably consistent in advanced NSCLC. In addition, the clinical efficacy of ICIs seems to be related to the genomic landscape of the tumor in terms of mutational burden and clonal neoantigens. Furthermore, increasing evidence shows that excessive activation of the immune response elicited by ICIs, leading to immune-related toxicities, might be associated with an improved response to immunotherapy. There are still many unanswered questions about the proper use of these agents to maximize their efficacy, which may be improved through combination with radiation, chemotherapy, targeted therapies, or other immune mediators, including dual checkpoint blockade. To search for clues for addressing these challenges, this review focused on the characteristics and clinical features of long-term NSCLC survivors and the potential biomarkers of response to ICIs.
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Metadata
Title
Immunotherapy with checkpoint inhibitors in non-small cell lung cancer: insights from long-term survivors
Authors
Ernest Nadal
Bartomeu Massuti
Manuel Dómine
Rosario García-Campelo
Manuel Cobo
Enriqueta Felip
Publication date
01-03-2019
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy / Issue 3/2019
Print ISSN: 0340-7004
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0851
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00262-019-02310-2

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