Low immunogenicity in non-small cell lung cancer; do new developments and novel treatments have a role?
Approximately 1.6 million new cases of lung cancer are diagnosed annually (Jemal et al. CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians, 61, 69-90, 2011) and it remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Despite decades of bench and clinical research to attempt to improve outcome for locally advanced, good performance status patients, the 5-year survival remains less than 15 % (Molina et al. 2008). Immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICH) therapies have shown a significant promise in preclinical and clinical trails to date in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The idea of combining these systemic immune therapies with local ablative techniques is one that is gaining momentum. Electrochemotherapy (ECT) is a unique atraumatic local therapy that has had very promising objective response rates and a number of advantages including but not limited to its immunostimulatory effects. ECT in combination with ICHs offers a novel approach for dealing with this difficult disease process.
Cork Cancer Research Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland, rebeccagardiner@rcsi.ie.
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D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D053672:Electrochemotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents