PD-1/PD-L1 blockade therapy with atezolizumab: a new paradigm in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)

Now, platinum-based chemotherapy is used as the first-line treatment for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Interestingly, a combination of immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as mepolizumab, with other targeted therapies and chemotherapy help to make a significant improvement. Atezolizumab, a fully humanized, engineered monoclonal antibody of IgG1 isotype against the protein programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), blocks PD-1 activation and results in T-cell activity against tumor cells. As the second-line treatment of advanced or metastatic NSCLC, atezolizumab plus chemotherapy was approved in 2017 concerning the clinical benefit of the phase III OAK trials. Atezolizumab, compared with docetaxel, remarkably increased overall survival (OS) and showed promising efficacy and tolerability in the treatment of advanced NSCLC.Research on atezolizumab's application in neoadjuvant (pre-surgery) and adjuvant (post-surgery) contexts is ongoing. It is now undergoing trials to assess its efficacy in these settings, which may broaden its place in the NSCLC therapy spectrum and enhance long-term results. This paper briefly summarizes the clinical data of atezolizumab therapy alone or in combination with other therapeutics for NSCLC therapy.