The potential long term survival gain, related to immune adaptability and memory, the potential activity across multiple tumour types through targeting the immune system, and the opportunity for combinations offered by the unique mechanism of actions and safety profile of these new agents, all support the role of immunotherapy in the cancer treatment pathway or paradigm. Areas covered: The authors discuss the recent advances in the understanding of immunology and antitumor immune responses that have led to the development of new immunotherapies, including monoclonal antibodies that inhibit immune checkpoint pathways, such as Programmed Death-1 (PD-1) and Cytotoxic T-Lymphocyte-Associated Antigen 4 (CTLA-4). Currently, two PD-1 inhibitors are available in clinical practice for treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): nivolumab and pembrolizumab. Expert opinion: Ongoing research will dictate future strategies, including the potential incorporation of immunotherapy in stage dependent treatment settings (early stage locally advanced disease and first line therapy for metastatic disease). Immunotherapy combinations are promising avenues, and careful selection of patients, doses of each agent and information supporting strategies (i.e. concomitant or sequential) is still needed.
Keywords: Combination therapies; immune checkpoint inhibitors; immune-related toxicity; nivolumab; pembrolizumab; programmed death-1 (PD-1).