Pembrolizumab as first-line therapy for metastatic non-small-cell lung cancer

This review describes trials evaluating the monoclonal antibody pembrolizumab (an immunotherapy that blocks the interaction between programmed death-1 and programmed death-ligand 1 and 2 [PD-L1/PD-L2]) as first-line therapy for advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the Phase III KEYNOTE-024 study, pembrolizumab monotherapy significantly improved progression-free survival (primary end point) and overall survival, and was associated with fewer adverse events compared with platinum-based chemotherapy in patients with NSCLC with PD-L1 expression on >= 50% of tumor cells. In cohort G of the Phase I/II KEYNOTE-021 study, pembrolizumab plus pemetrexed and carboplatin significantly improved objective response rate (primary end point) and progression-free survival versus pemetrexed and carboplatin alone, and had manageable toxicity in patients with nonsquamous NSCLC. These results have changed first-line management of advanced NSCLC.