Anti-Programmed Death Receptor 1 Signalling Immunotherapy as a Part of Curative Intent Strategies for Stages I-III Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Abstract

Surgery provides the best chance of a cure for patients with early stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and plays an important role in the multimodal treatment for locally advanced disease. However, many patients still relapse despite intended curative surgery, and no major advances in systemic therapy for resectable NSCLC have been achieved in the last decades. The incorporation of immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic Stage IV NSCLC and the recent data on the efficacy of cancer consolidation with the anti-programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) antibody durvalumab after concurrent chemoradiation for unresectable Stage III NSCLC open new opportunities for the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in earlier stages of the disease. Multiple ongoing clinical trials are exploring the safety and efficacy of immunotherapy in Stage I–III resectable NSCLC, either as a postoperative (adjuvant) strategy or before surgical resection (neoadjuvant). The neoadjuvant setting is particularly interesting, as it represents an ideal chance to develop translational research. Herein, the authors summarise the main ongoing research and available data on the use of anti-PD1/PD-L1 antibodies for Stage I–III NSCLC.