Second-Line Treatment Options in Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Report From an International Experts Panel Meeting of the Italian Association of Thoracic Oncology

Clin Lung Cancer. 2018 Jul;19(4):301-314. doi: 10.1016/j.cllc.2017.12.010. Epub 2017 Dec 22.

Abstract

Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients inevitably progress to first-line therapy and further active treatments are warranted. In the past few years, new second-line therapies, beyond chemotherapy agents, have become available in clinical practice. To date, several options for the second-line treatment of non-oncogene-addicted NSCLC patients ranging from chemotherapy in combination with antivascular endothelial growth factor receptor to immunotherapeutics are available. In oncogene-driven tumors, the better knowledge of mechanisms of acquired resistance to earlier tyrosine kinase inhibitors is leading to novel active inhibitors now available/in development. The second-line algorithm treatment of NSCLC becomes very intricate and the selection of proper patients with one of the new available therapeutic options is of paramount importance to personalize and optimize the treatment. In this review we discuss the second-line treatment opportunities of addicted as well as not-addicted NSCLC.

Keywords: Chemotherapy; Combination strategies; Immunotherapy; Second-line treatment; Targeted therapies.

Publication types

  • Consensus Development Conference
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Italy
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / therapy*
  • Salvage Therapy / methods*

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents