Published online May 10, 2014. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v5.i2.39
Revised: March 5, 2014
Accepted: April 17, 2014
Published online: May 10, 2014
Processing time: 132 Days and 7.7 Hours
Targeted therapies that deliver the expected anti-tumor effects while mitigating the adverse effects are taking the cancer world by storm. The need for such therapies in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), where systemic cytotoxic chemotherapies still remain the backbone of management, is felt more than ever before. Runway success of immunotherapies such as Ipilimumab for melanoma has brought excitement among oncologists. Immune-based treatments are in various stages of evaluation for NSCLC as well. Immunotherapies using strategies of antigen based or cell based vaccines, and blocking immune checkpoints are of substantial interest. Meaningful clinical responses are yet to be reaped from these new treatment modalities.
Core tip: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-death worldwide. Majority of these patients have non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Traditional chemotherapy is limited by its high toxicity. Emerging data have demonstrated promising outcome of immunotherapy in NSCLC. This review delineated the rationale and potential targets of cancer immunotherapy, with a summary of immunotherapeutic agents for treatment of NSCLC. Protein/peptide-based and cell-based vaccines, as well as immune checkpoint targeted agents such as Ipilimumab and PD-1 pathway inhibitors were discussed. In addition, we reviewed ongoing immunotherapy-based studies including several major phase II/III clinical trials, results of which will be available soon for incorporation into clinical practice.