Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer-Improving Outcomes in Patients With Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer With Immunotherapy

Cancer J. 2020 Nov/Dec;26(6):548-554. doi: 10.1097/PPO.0000000000000485.

Abstract

Patients with locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a heterogenous group encompassing stage IIIA-IIIC disease, often have surgically unresectable cancer and are managed with concurrent chemoradiation. Since the establishment of platinum-based chemoradiation as standard of care for unresectable locally advanced NSCLC, various strategies including escalating radiation dose, targeted therapies, antiangiogenic agents, and induction or consolidation chemotherapy have failed to show improvement in outcomes. However, recently, use of consolidation immunotherapy with durvalumab following concurrent chemoradiation therapy has been associated with improvement in survival and has led to a paradigm shift. In this review, we will summarize results from trials of immunotherapy in locally advanced NSCLC and comment on ongoing trials and potential future investigations.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung* / drug therapy
  • Chemoradiotherapy
  • Combined Modality Therapy
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms* / drug therapy