Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor‐Based Therapy as the First‐Line Treatment for Advanced Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer: Efficacy, Challenges, and Future Perspectives

ABSTRACT The selection of initial systemic treatment for advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) depends on histological subtypes, oncogenic driver identification through genomic profiling, and programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression quantification. The choice of first‐line treatment is cru...

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Main Authors: Xingxiang Pu, Yu Zhou, Jingyi Wang, Lin Wu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-06-01
Series:Thoracic Cancer
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1111/1759-7714.70113
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author Xingxiang Pu
Yu Zhou
Jingyi Wang
Lin Wu
author_facet Xingxiang Pu
Yu Zhou
Jingyi Wang
Lin Wu
author_sort Xingxiang Pu
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT The selection of initial systemic treatment for advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) depends on histological subtypes, oncogenic driver identification through genomic profiling, and programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression quantification. The choice of first‐line treatment is crucial as patients with advanced NSCLC may not have the opportunity to receive second‐ or later‐line therapies due to the rapid progression of the disease. Current guidelines recommend pretreatment PD‐L1 expression quantification evaluation prior to initiating systemic therapy in advanced NSCLC. Except for histology, PD‐L1 expression, and absence of actionable driver mutations, single‐agent immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are foundational first‐line interventions. ICIs combined with chemotherapy or other ICIs have shown improved survival outcomes compared to ICI monotherapy. However, choosing the best option can be challenging due to limited head‐to‐head comparisons. Treatment decisions are often influenced by drug availability, reimbursement coverage, and patient's economic conditions. Despite the development of new ICI therapies, overall survival data seem to have plateaued, highlighting the need for sustained investigations and extensive clinical validation studies to develop novel therapies, optimize ICI combinations, and monitor adverse effects. Collaboration among data scientists, clinicians, biologists, and policymakers is essential to establish biomarkers that enhance patient selection and overall survival in NSCLC.
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spelling doaj-art-d8c7760f79df42648477c441144e93c42025-08-20T03:29:58ZengWileyThoracic Cancer1759-77061759-77142025-06-011612n/an/a10.1111/1759-7714.70113Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor‐Based Therapy as the First‐Line Treatment for Advanced Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer: Efficacy, Challenges, and Future PerspectivesXingxiang Pu0Yu Zhou1Jingyi Wang2Lin Wu3Department of Medical Oncology, Lung Cancer and Gastrointestinal Unit The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha ChinaThe Second Department of Thoracic Oncology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha ChinaXiangya Lung Cancer Center, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University Changsha ChinaThe Second Department of Thoracic Oncology The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Xiangya School of Medicine, Central South University/Hunan Cancer Hospital Changsha ChinaABSTRACT The selection of initial systemic treatment for advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) depends on histological subtypes, oncogenic driver identification through genomic profiling, and programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1) expression quantification. The choice of first‐line treatment is crucial as patients with advanced NSCLC may not have the opportunity to receive second‐ or later‐line therapies due to the rapid progression of the disease. Current guidelines recommend pretreatment PD‐L1 expression quantification evaluation prior to initiating systemic therapy in advanced NSCLC. Except for histology, PD‐L1 expression, and absence of actionable driver mutations, single‐agent immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are foundational first‐line interventions. ICIs combined with chemotherapy or other ICIs have shown improved survival outcomes compared to ICI monotherapy. However, choosing the best option can be challenging due to limited head‐to‐head comparisons. Treatment decisions are often influenced by drug availability, reimbursement coverage, and patient's economic conditions. Despite the development of new ICI therapies, overall survival data seem to have plateaued, highlighting the need for sustained investigations and extensive clinical validation studies to develop novel therapies, optimize ICI combinations, and monitor adverse effects. Collaboration among data scientists, clinicians, biologists, and policymakers is essential to establish biomarkers that enhance patient selection and overall survival in NSCLC.https://doi.org/10.1111/1759-7714.70113first‐line treatmentimmune checkpoint inhibitorNSCLCPD‐L1
spellingShingle Xingxiang Pu
Yu Zhou
Jingyi Wang
Lin Wu
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor‐Based Therapy as the First‐Line Treatment for Advanced Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer: Efficacy, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
Thoracic Cancer
first‐line treatment
immune checkpoint inhibitor
NSCLC
PD‐L1
title Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor‐Based Therapy as the First‐Line Treatment for Advanced Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer: Efficacy, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
title_full Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor‐Based Therapy as the First‐Line Treatment for Advanced Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer: Efficacy, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
title_fullStr Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor‐Based Therapy as the First‐Line Treatment for Advanced Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer: Efficacy, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
title_full_unstemmed Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor‐Based Therapy as the First‐Line Treatment for Advanced Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer: Efficacy, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
title_short Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor‐Based Therapy as the First‐Line Treatment for Advanced Non‐Small Cell Lung Cancer: Efficacy, Challenges, and Future Perspectives
title_sort immune checkpoint inhibitor based therapy as the first line treatment for advanced non small cell lung cancer efficacy challenges and future perspectives
topic first‐line treatment
immune checkpoint inhibitor
NSCLC
PD‐L1
url https://doi.org/10.1111/1759-7714.70113
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