Immunotherapy of lungcancer – an update

Ten years ago the median survival of small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and non small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) was less than one year. In the case of SCLC the situation did not change. There are revolutionary new possibilities in the treatment of NSCLC (histology based cytotoxic chemotherapy, molecular targeted therapy etc.). Unfortunately there is no signifi cant development in treatment strategy of SCLC in the last 30 years. Nowadays in NSCLC immune check point inhibitor therapy is a novel treatment method in the clinical praxis as well. The integration of the PD axis and the CTLA4 inhibitors in the complex therapy of the management of NSCLC is a new challenge. The pembrolizumab monotherapy in fi rst line setting is a new standard of care with high PDL1 expression. In second line setting the pembrolizumab, nivolumab and atezolizumab widely used in clinical praxis as well. In locally advanced disease of NSCLC after radiochemotherapy the durvalumab maintenance monotherapy showed a signifi cant progression free survival benefi t, comparing to placebo. We have got new treatment possibilities in the treatment of SCLC as well. The results of clinical trials with antibody conjugate therapy are promising. The nivolumab monotherapy and the combination treatment of nivolumab + ipilimumab gave promising results as well. In the treatment of SCLC and NSCLC there is a need for biomarker selected therapy (tumor mutational burden [TMB], DLL3, cMyc etc.). Based on the new positive results of the clinical trials there is a possibility to transform lung cancer from a subacute disease to a chronic illness.