The treatment in patients with unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer: Explorations on hot issues

Yimeng Wang1, Yao Wang1, Jinming Yu2

  • 1Department of Radiation Oncology, Shandong Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, China.

Cancer Letters
|October 20, 2022
PubMed

Insights

Immunotherapy, including PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, has advanced lung cancer treatment. Concurrent chemoradiotherapy with durvalumab is standard for unresectable non-small-cell lung cancer, but future research is needed.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunotherapy
  • Thoracic Surgery

Background:

  • Treatment for unresectable, locally advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) has significantly improved with immunotherapy.
  • Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), specifically targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), have transformed lung cancer therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current clinical trials investigating optimal treatment paradigms for unresectable LA-NSCLC.
  • To discuss unresolved issues, predictive biomarkers, and therapeutic strategies for specific patient populations in LA-NSCLC treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical trial data and existing literature on immunotherapy for LA-NSCLC.
  • Comparative analysis of ongoing clinical trials to identify treatment barriers and future directions.

Main Results:

  • Concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by durvalumab is the established standard of care for unresectable LA-NSCLC, based on PACIFIC trial outcomes.
  • Several clinical trials are actively exploring novel treatment strategies and optimizing existing paradigms.

Conclusions:

  • Despite advancements, challenges remain in LA-NSCLC treatment, necessitating further research.
  • Identifying predictive biomarkers and tailored therapeutic options is crucial for improving outcomes in specific patient groups.