Afatinib With Pembrolizumab for Treatment of Patients With Locally Advanced/Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Lung: The LUX-Lung IO/KEYNOTE 497 Study Protocol.

Background: Afatinib is a selective, irreversible ErbB family blocker that has shown survival benefit in lung squamous-cell carcinoma (SCC) patients. Pembrolizumab, a humanized immunoglobulin G4 monoclonal antibody to the programmed cell death 1 (PD-1) receptor, has also shown survival benefit in lung SCC. Concurrent inhibition of the PD-1 and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) pathways represents a rational approach to improve responses and delay the onset of treatment resistance in lung SCC.