JOURNAL OF SHANGHAI JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY (MEDICAL SCIENCE) ›› 2021, Vol. 41 ›› Issue (8): 1114-1119.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1674-8115.2021.08.020

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Research progress in screening non-small cell lung cancer patients who will benefit from immunotherapy

Xu-xin-yi LING(), Yao ZHANG(), Hua ZHONG()   

  1. Department of Respiratory, Shanghai Chest Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200030, China
  • Online:2021-08-28 Published:2021-08-13
  • Contact: Hua ZHONG E-mail:karen_lxxy@sjtu.edu.cn;eddiedong8@hotmail.com
  • Supported by:
    Shanghai Medical Guidance;Science and Technology Support Project(19411970900)

Abstract:

The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) has brought the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) into a brand-new age. However, not all patients with NSCLC can benefit from ICIs, and there is currently no good standard for screening the beneficiaries, which provides difficulties for ICIs to bring greater benefits to patients. Therefore, it is quite important to explore suitable biomarkers that can predict the level of patients′ response to ICIs. Due to the complexity of the mechanism of the action of ICIs, many links involved in the tumor immune response, including tumor-related cells, molecules or genetic characteristics, may affect the patients' response to ICIs, and may also have the ability to predict the level of NSCLC patients' response to ICIs at the same time. Currently many studies are exploring the clinical significance and limitations of existing biomarkers, struggling to explore potential emerging biomarkers and combine multiple biomarkers for a more reliable predicting model, in order to bring precise treatment to patients with NSCLC. This article is a review based on the latest research results. It summarizes the current application and research progress of biomarkers to screen NSCLC candidates who will benefit from immunotherapy.

Key words: non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), immunotherapy, immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI), biomarker

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