Nivolumab plus ipilimumab for the first-line treatment of metastatic NSCLC

Introduction

In the last decade, immune checkpoint inhibitors have revolutionized the treatment of several malignancies including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The inhibition of cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4) and the programmed death receptor 1 (PD-1) pathways leads to an activation of the immune response against tumor cells. Thanks to a synergistic effect, the combination of the checkpoint inhibitors nivolumab and ipilimumab has the potential to improve outcomes of NSCLC patients.

Areas covered

We provide an overview of clinical trials evaluating the combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab in the first-line treatment of advanced NSCLC patients.

Expert opinion

The combination of nivolumab and ipilimumab, alone or with a few cycles of chemotherapy, was demonstrated to…