Advances in immunotherapy for treatment of lung cancer.
Different approaches for treating lung cancer have been developed over time, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapies against activating mutations. Lately, better understanding of the role of the immunological system in tumor control has opened multiple doors to implement different strategies to enhance immune response against cancer cells. It is known that tumor cells elude immune response by several mechanisms. The development of monoclonal antibodies against the checkpoint inhibitor programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), on T cells, has led to high activity in cancer patients with long lasting responses. Nivolumab, an anti PD-1 inhibitor, has been recently approved for the treatment of squamous cell lung cancer patients, given the survival advantage demonstrated in a phase III trial. Pembrolizumab, another anti PD-1 antibody, has received FDA breakthrough therapy designation for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), supported by data from a phase I trial. Clinical trials with anti PD-1/PD-L1 antibodies in NSCLC have demonstrated very good tolerability and activity, with response rates around 20% and a median duration of response of 18 months.
1 Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia 19141, USA ; 2 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 3 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina 98100, Italy ; 4 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 5 Cancer Biology & Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona 08916, Spain ; 6 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
Jean G
JG
Bustamante Alvarez
1 Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia 19141, USA ; 2 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 3 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina 98100, Italy ; 4 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 5 Cancer Biology & Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona 08916, Spain ; 6 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
María
M
González-Cao
1 Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia 19141, USA ; 2 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 3 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina 98100, Italy ; 4 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 5 Cancer Biology & Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona 08916, Spain ; 6 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
Niki
N
Karachaliou
1 Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia 19141, USA ; 2 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 3 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina 98100, Italy ; 4 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 5 Cancer Biology & Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona 08916, Spain ; 6 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
Mariacarmela
M
Santarpia
1 Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia 19141, USA ; 2 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 3 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina 98100, Italy ; 4 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 5 Cancer Biology & Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona 08916, Spain ; 6 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
Santiago
S
Viteri
1 Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia 19141, USA ; 2 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 3 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina 98100, Italy ; 4 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 5 Cancer Biology & Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona 08916, Spain ; 6 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
Cristina
C
Teixidó
1 Albert Einstein Medical Center, Philadelphia 19141, USA ; 2 Translational Cancer Research Unit, Instituto Oncológico Dr Rosell, Quirón Dexeus University Hospital, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 3 Medical Oncology Unit, Human Pathology Department, University of Messina, Messina 98100, Italy ; 4 Pangaea Biotech S.L, Barcelona 08028, Spain ; 5 Cancer Biology & Precision Medicine Program, Catalan Institute of Oncology, Germans Trias i Pujol Health Sciences Institute and Hospital, Campus Can Ruti, Badalona, Barcelona 08916, Spain ; 6 Fundación Molecular Oncology Research, Barcelona 08028, Spain.
Rafael
R
Rosell
Cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4); immune checkpoint inhibitors; lung cancer; programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1); programmed cell death protein ligand-1 (PD-L1)