ASCO 2021: Immunotherapy updates in lung cancer

Various immunotherapies including checkpoint inhibitors have emerged as effective treatment options for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Immune checkpoints proteins such as PD-1, PD-L1 and CTLA-4 have become promising targets, as they have an immunosuppressive function and are overexpressed in certain cancers. Several checkpoint inhibitors have already received FDA approval including nivolumab and ipilimumab, and ongoing research is being conduced to assess novel therapies and combination regimens. In this podcast, Heather Wakelee, MD, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, David Spigel, MD, Sarah Cannon Research Institute, Nashville, TN, and Bruna Pellini, MD, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, FL discuss results from the IMpower010 trial (NCT02486718), which assessed the anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody atezolizumab in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), as well as the PACIFIC trial (NCT02125461), which investigated durvalumab in unresectable stage III NSCLC. The evolving field of checkpoint inhibitors in NSCLC and combining checkpoint inhibitors with cell therapies are also discussed. This interview took place at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Virtual Meeting 2021.