Advances in the Treatment of Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer

Clinical development of immune checkpoint blockade has dramatically changed the treatment paradigm and prognosis for patients with non–small cell lung cancer. Immune checkpoint blockade with PD-1 and PD-L1 antibodies generates clinically significant, durable responses in patients with advanced non–small cell lung cancer. These agents are approved for first- and second-line treatment, either as single agents or in combination with chemotherapy and angiogenesis inhibitors . Although the toxicity profile of these treatments is favorable, a unique set of immune-mediated adverse events, such as pneumonitis, has been observed. Broader use of these agents is improving survival for patients with advanced lung cancer.