Immunotherapy-Based Combinations in Thoracic Malignancies

Dear Colleagues, 

The management of thoracic malignancies has experienced dramatic developments with the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). While ICIs have been successfully used as single-agent regimens for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), approaches involving their use in combination are widely employed nowadays. The addition of an anti-PD-1/PD-L1 agent to chemotherapy improved outcomes over chemotherapy alone, both in NSCLC and in small cell lung cancer (SCLC), irrespective of acknowledged biomarkers, such as PD-L1 expression. Similarly, ICI-based combinations including agents active against multiple checkpoints, such as PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4, are effective in NSCLC and in pleural mesothelioma. While most data are available for metastatic disease, locally advanced disease and localized NSCLC will also benefit from regimens containing immunotherapy concurrently or in sequence with chemotherapy.

The advances in the use of ICI-based combinations for multiple settings in thoracic malignancies leaves room for discussion on relevant topics, such as the management of immune-related toxicities (which cause particular concern in non-metastatic settings) and the identification of more robust response predictors.

This special issue explores the evolving role of ICI-based combinations in thoracic malignancies, with considerations including, but not limited to, immune-related adverse events and predictions of responses.

Prof. Dr. Carlo Genova
Guest Editor

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• non-small cell lung cancer
• small cell lung cancer
• malignant pleural mesothelioma
• immune checkpoint inhibitor
• immune-related adverse events
• PD-L1
• PD-1
• CTLA-4