Programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) signaling pathway has been found capable of affecting anti-tumor immune effect in many malignancies in recent years. Patients who are diagnosed with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have considerable responses after receving inhibitors against PD-1/PD-L1. This paper reviews the clinical progress of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors in the treatment of NSCLC.
ObjectiveTo explore the short-term efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy in the neoadjuvant treatment of non-small cell lung cancer. MethodsThe clinical data of 11 male patients with non-small cell lung cancer who underwent pembrolizumab combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy in the Department of Thoracic Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University from December 2019 to June 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The average age of the patients was 52.0-79.0 (62.0±6.9) years. The imaging data and pathological changes before and after neoadjuvant treatment were compared, and adverse reactions during neoadjuvant treatment were recorded. Objective remission rate (ORR) and main pathological remission rate (MPR) and pathological complete remission rate (pCR) were the main observation endpoints. ResultsAfter preoperative neoadjuvant therapy with pembrolizumab combined with platinum or paclitaxel, all patients successfully underwent thoracoscopic radical resection of lung cancer. The ORR was 72.7%, and the MPR was 81.8%. Among them, 45.5% of patients achieved pCR. The main adverse reactions were hypoalbuminemia, decreased appetite and nausea. The mortality rate within 30 days after surgery was 0, and no tumor metastasis was observed. ConclusionPembrolizumab combined with neoadjuvant chemotherapy is safe and feasible to treat non-small cell lung cancer, and the short-term efficacy is beneficial.
ObjectiveTo explore the clinical value of immunotherapeutic drugs represented by programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) / programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) blockades for treatment of advanced gastric cancer. MethodThe latest literatures about the clinical studies of PD-1/PD-L1 blockades for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer were retrieved and reviewed. ResultsThe corresponding clinical trials relevant to PD-1/PD-L1 blockades had been conducted in the treatment, biomarkers, and resistance to drugs for advanced gastric cancer. The PD-1/PD-L1 blockades single drug or its in combination with chemical drugs or (and) targeted drugs for the treatment of advanced gastric cancer or gastroesophageal junction cancer had shown a good efficacy in some patients. The patients who benefited from PD-1/PD-L1 blockades might be a population with specific molecular characteristics, but the resistance to drugs during the therapy process affected its therapeutic effect. ConclusionFrom the progress of this review, PD-1/PD-L1 blockades bring benefits to some patients with advanced gastric cancer, but more biomarkers which can predict the therapeutic effect need to be found to optimize the drug regimen, and the resistance to drugs mechanism needs to be further studied.