Management of locally advanced non‐small cell lung cancer: State of the art and future directions

Abstract

Abstract Lung cancer is the second most common and the deadliest type of cancer worldwide. Clinically, non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is the most common pathological type of lung cancer; approximately one‐third of affected patients have locally advanced NSCLC (LA‐NSCLC, stage III NSCLC) at diagnosis. Because of its heterogeneity, LA‐NSCLC often requires multidisciplinary assessment. Moreover, the prognosis of affected patients is much below satisfaction, and the efficacy of traditional therapeutic strategies has reached a plateau. With the emergence of targeted therapies and immunotherapies, as well as the continuous development of novel radiotherapies, we have entered an era of novel treatment paradigm for LA‐NSCLC. Here, we reviewed the landscape of relevant therapeutic modalities, including adjuvant, neoadjuvant, and perioperative targeted and immune strategies in patients with resectable LA‐NSCLC with/without oncogenic alterations; as well as novel combinations of chemoradiation and immunotherapy/targeted therapy in unresectable LA‐NSCLC. We addressed the unresolved challenges that remain in the field, and examined future directions to optimize clinical management and increase the cure rate of LA‐NSCLC.

Keywords

• locally advanced
• non‐small cell lung cancer
• neoadjuvant therapy
• adjuvant therapy
• immunotherapy
• targeted therapy