Configuring Therapeutic Aspects of Immune Checkpoints in Lung Cancer

Simple Summary There is a need to improve the conventional treatment options for lung cancer. Immunotherapy is based on the premise that therapeutic drugs destroy tumor cells by stimulating the immune response. Drugs targeting immune checkpoints belong to the class of immunotherapy. These are specific antibodies targeted against immune checkpoints called immune checkpoint inhibitors. Herein, we focus on the agents targeting these checkpoints as well as exploring novel checkpoints that can be prospectively targeted. Immune checkpoints are unique components of the body's defense mechanism that safeguard the body from immune responses that are potent enough to harm healthy body cells. When proteins present on the surface of T cells recognize and bind to the proteins present on other tumor cells, immune checkpoints are triggered. These proteins are called immunological checkpoints. The T cells receive an on/off signal when the checkpoints interact with companion proteins. This might avert the host's immune system from eliminating cancer cells. The standard care plan for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been revolutionized with the use of drugs targeting immune checkpoints, in particular programmed cell death protein 1. These drugs are now extended for their potential to manage SCLC. However, it is acknowledged that these drugs have specific immune related adverse effects. Herein, we discuss the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors in patients with NSCLC and SCLC, their outcomes, and future perspectives.