Clinical Activity and Safety of Atezolizumab in a Phase 1 Study of Patients With Relapsed/Refractory Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Background: Programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) protein is expressed in various cancers, including small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Atezolizumab inhibits PD-L1 signaling, thus restoring tumor-specific T-cell immunity. Here, we report results from the first-in-human phase 1 PCD4989g study (NCT01375842) of atezolizumab, in a cohort of patients with relapsed/refractory SCLC.

Pembrolizumab in Combination With Erlotinib or Gefitinib as First-Line Therapy for Advanced NSCLC With Sensitizing EGFR Mutation.

Introduction: Anti-EGFR agents are standard treatments for patients with EGFR-mutant advanced NSCLC. The feasibility of combining erlotinib or gefitinib with the anti-programmed death 1 immunotherapy pembrolizumab was evaluated in the phase 1/2 KEYNOTE-021 study (NCT02039674).

Methods: Adults with previously untreated stage IIIB/IV EGFR-mutant NSCLC were treated with pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg intravenously every 3 weeks plus oral erlotinib 150 mg daily in cohort E or oral gefitinib 250 mg daily in cohort F, using a 3 + 3 design with cohort expansion.

Treatment of stage IV non-small cell lung cancer: Diagnosis and management of lung cancer, 3rd ed: American College of Chest Physicians evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.

Background: Stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a treatable, but not curable, clinical entity in patients given the diagnosis at a time when their performance status (PS) remains good.

Methods: A systematic literature review was performed to update the previous edition of the American College of Chest Physicians Lung Cancer Guidelines.

Results: The use of pemetrexed should be restricted to patients with nonsquamous histology.