Immune checkpoint inhibitors in elderly patients with lung cancer: evidence from phase 3 trials

In this article, we aimed to summarize the results from recent phase III clinical trials that have evaluated the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in elderly patients with lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the second most diagnosed malignant tumor and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. ICIs have a significant role in the treatment of lung cancer, both as monotherapy and combination therapy prolonged survival benefits. At present, a significant proportion of clinical patients comprise individuals aged 70 years or older. However, the inclusion of elderly patients, particularly in clinical trials involving immunotherapy, remains inadequate, with a limited number of participants from this age group. The lack of evidence regarding the use of ICIs in elderly patients is primarily attributed to the significant underrepresentation of elderly individuals in clinical trials.

In this article, we summarize the results from recent phase III clinical trials that have evaluated the use of ICIs as first-line or second-line monotherapy, in combination with chemotherapy and other immunotherapies in elderly patients with lung cancer.