Immunotherapy and lung cancer: current developments and novel targeted therapies.

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a highly prevalent and aggressive disease. In the metastatic setting, major advances include the incorporation of immunotherapy and targeted therapies into the clinician's therapeutic armamentarium. Standard chemotherapeutic regimens have long been reported to interfere with the immune response to the tumor; conversely, antitumor immunity may add to the effects of those therapies.

Long survival with erlotinib as second line treatment in non-small cell lung cancer.

Male, of 69 years old, caucasian, farmer, non smoker, with hypertension, dyslipidemia and past pesticide exposition, without known familiar diseases. In October/2005, he initiated dyspnoea and asthenia for moderate efforts, cough and night sibling, with persisted although several antibiotic treatments were done. In December/2005, he went to the Emergency department, where it was seen a right pleural effusion.

Erlotinib in non-small cell lung cancer's second line treatment. Clinical case.

Male, of 58 years, caucasian, construction worker, non smoker, with depressive syndrome, biliary lithiasis, renal cysts, surgery for benign intestinal polyps and relevant familiar history - aunt with lung cancer and mother with colon cancer. He initiated thorax pain and vomitting and made a chest x-ray, showing a right basal lung mass. During the etiologic study, he was submitted to thoracotomy with biopsy, in April 2006 - "fine granulations, spread for all the pulmonary field", allowing the diagnosis - adenosquamous lung carcinoma, stage IV (16/05/2006).