The Role of Immunotherapy in Extensive Stage Small-Cell Lung Cancer: A Review of the Literature.

ABSTRACT: Lung cancer is the second most common cancer in both sexes worldwide. Small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) is a form of neuroendocrine tumor, which is classified into limited and extensive-stage disease and shows excellent initial response to chemotherapy; however, almost all patients relapse later. During the past few years, several clinical trials have evaluated the effect of addition of immunotherapy to conventional chemotherapy in patients with extensive SCLC. Checkpoint inhibitors are currently under investigation, especially the CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Nowadays, evidence show a statistically significant survival benefit of adding atezolizumab, an IgG1 monoclonal antibody targeting against PD-L1, to platinum-based chemotherapy plus etoposide in patients who have not received any pr

SUBMITTER: Tsiouprou I 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6875088 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature