Systemic therapy of nonsmall cell lung cancer: breakthroughs during the last five decades

The purpose of this review is to summarize the breakthroughs in the systemic treatment of patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) during the last five decades.

Chemotherapy was established in metastatic, locally advanced and early-stage NSCLC. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors have become standard for palliative and adjuvant therapy in patients with driver mutation-positive NSCLC. Immune checkpoint inhibitors were established in operable, locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC. Antiemetics, hematopoietic growth factors, bisphosphonates and opioids improved palliative care.

Breakthroughs in the systemic therapy of NSCLC during the last five decades included chemotherapy, targeted therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors and better supportive care.