Radiation and Modulation of the Tumor Immune Microenvironment in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are approved for a variety of indications for locally advanced and metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and trials are ongoing in the early-stage setting. There is an unmet need to understand which patients may derive benefit from immunotherapies and how to harness combined modality therapies to improve overall response rates and durability. Here, we review studies from the bench-to-bedside to exam-ine the role of radiation therapy (RT) on the tumor immune microenvironment in NSCLC with an eye toward augmenting antitumor immunity. Together, these data provide a founda-tion for developing future clinical trials harnessing RT to augment antitumor immunity and highlight the need for correlative translational studies to directly characterize the impact of RT on the human NSCLC tumor immune microenvironment. Semin Radiat Oncol 31:133-139 (c) 2020 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Immune checkpoint inhibitors show promise in treating NSCLC, but further research is needed to understand the true benefits for patients and explore combination therapies for improved outcomes. Analyzing the impact of radiation therapy on the tumor immune microenvironment can lay the foundation for future clinical trials, emphasizing the importance of conducting translational studies.