Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: Recommendations for Biomarker Testing and Treatment

Updates to the NCCN Guidelines for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) for 2021 include recommendations for biomarker testing in all appropriate patients with newly diagnosed advanced lung cancer, including squamous cell lung cancer. When a targetable genetic alteration is detected, the NCCN Guidelines recommend treatment with a first-line therapy targeted to that alteration. The guidelines contain new information on use of adjuvant treatment with osimertinib for resected early-stage EGFR-mutated NSCLC. New targeted agents are now recommended for the treatment of ALK rearrangements, RET alterations, MET exon 14 skipping mutations in patients with advanced NSCLC; and new immunotherapy agents are recommended for advanced NSCLC without a driver oncogene.

Automated summary

The 2021 updates to the NCCN Guidelines for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) emphasize the importance of biomarker testing for newly diagnosed advanced lung cancer patients and recommend targeted first-line therapies based on genetic alterations. Additionally, adjuvant treatment with osimertinib for resected early-stage EGFR-mutated NSCLC is highlighted. New recommendations include targeted agents for ALK rearrangements, RET alterations, MET exon 14 skipping mutations in advanced NSCLC, as well as immunotherapy agents for advanced NSCLC without a driver oncogene.