[Neoadjuvant therapy for resectable non-small cell lung cancer]

Treatment perspectives for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been significantly expanded by the integration of immune checkpoint inhibitors into multimodal therapy concepts. Currently, combined, immune checkpoint-inhibitor-based therapy concepts are also advancing into early, resectable stages of NSCLC. Neoadjuvant and perioperative chemoimmunotherapy opened up a promising new preoperative treatment approach, but also raises some new questions and challenges. With the expanded perioperative treatment options and the perspective on a further improvement in the absence of recurrence after tumor resection, there is push towards comprehensively collecting therapy-relevant findings for imaging, molecular and histopathological diagnostics at an early stage. All patients with lung carcinoma, regardless of the therapy intention, should be presented to an interdisciplinary tumor board with thoracic oncological expertise. This is regularly given in certified lung cancer centers.A standardized procedure contributes to optimized pre-therapeutic diagnostics and facilitates coordination for the best possible multimodal approach in the interdisciplinary tumor board. In the case of centrally located resectable tumors, for example, neoadjuvant treatment increases the chances of a procedure that is as parenchymal sparing as possible. Some questions cannot yet be answered conclusively. Perioperative systemic therapy with molecular-targeted and immune checkpoint inhibitors is the subject of numerous ongoing studies. The considerable dynamics in newly approved therapies and the development of perioperative therapy concepts require continuous adaptation of diagnostic algorithms and standards. Integration into standard pre-surgical routine makes rapid classification of the relevant findings as well as close coordination between the diagnostic and interventional disciplines essential.