Advanced non-small cell lung cancer: the role of maintenance therapy.

Platinum-based chemotherapy has been shown to provide survival benefits in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Maintenance/consolidation chemotherapy in NSCLC has gained renewed interest with improved tolerability of chemotherapy and the addition of biologic agents. Various studies have evaluated the role of prolonged duration of chemotherapy as well as maintenance/consolidation strategies with both chemotherapy and biologic agents. The available data at this time demonstrates that maintenance or consolidation therapy can improve progression free survival; however this does not result consistently in an improved overall survival. We review the literature with regard to duration of therapy and use of maintenance/consolidation therapy in advanced NSCLC.