The immune checkpoint inhibitor Opdivo (nivolumab) shows better efficacy than Taxotere (docetaxel) for advanced non-squamous NSCLC, but this was seen only in patients with PD-L1 protein expression on their tumor. Should we be using this as a biomarker?

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In January, 2015, the CheckMate 017 trial of the immune checkpoint inhibitor Opdivo (nivolumab) versus the standard chemo agent Taxotere (docetaxel) as second line therapy for patients with advanced squamous NSCLC was reported in a press release to be positive for a significant improvement in overall survival.

There are a few interesting new stories coming out of the 2013 European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) conference in Amsterdam that's just wrapping up today.  One has been on the  anti-PDL1 immunotherapy MPDL3280A, an agent from Roche that we saw some initial promising data on at ASCO 2013 earlier this year.  Dr.

Dr. Edward Garon, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, covers the provocative results of the novel immune checkpoint PD-L1 inhibitor MPDL3280A in advanced NSCLC.

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Drs. Jack West, Mary Pinder, and Nate Pennell review various ways in which emerging immunotherapies could be effectively incorporated into our treatment strategies for lung cancer, potentially adding to or replacing current options.

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Drs. Mary Pinder, Nate Pennell, and Jack West discuss promising work on immune checkpoint inhibitors such as MPPL-3280A, an anti-PDL1 immune-based therapy, and anti-PD1 therapy nivolumab, in advanced NSCLC.

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