title: Potential role of immunotherapy in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer.
abstract: Immuno checkpoint inhibitors have ushered in a new era with respect to the treatment of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer. Many patients are not suitable for treatment with epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (eg, gefitinib, erlotinib, and afatinib) or with anaplastic lymphoma kinase inhibitors (eg, crizotinib and ceritinib). As a result, anti-PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 inhibitors may play a novel role in the improvement of outcomes in a metastatic setting. The regulation of immune surveillance, immunoediting, and immunoescape mechanisms may play an interesting role in this regard either alone or in combination with current drugs. Here, we discuss advances in immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer as well as future perspectives within this framework.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences and Medicine, University of Algarve, Faro; Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Porto, Portugal; Research Center, Cearense School of Oncology, Instituto do Câncer do Ceará.
authors.forename: Ramon Andrade
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: de Mello
authors.affiliation: Oncology & Hematology League, School of Medicine, State University of Ceará (UECE), Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ana Flávia
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Veloso
authors.affiliation: Oncology & Hematology League, School of Medicine, State University of Ceará (UECE), Fortaleza, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paulo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Esrom Catarina
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar (ICBAS), University of Porto, Porto, Portugal.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nadine
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, The Royal Marsden NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK.
authors.forename: Georgios
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Antoniou
keywords: CTLA4; PD1; PDL1; clinical trials; immunotherapy; ipilimumab; nivolumab; non-small-cell lung cancer; pembrolizumab