KEYTRUDA (pembrolizumab): expanding opportunities in the treatment of resectable non-small cell lung cancer
Summary. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is one of the most common types of cancer, responsible for the majority of cancer-related deaths worldwide [1]. However, in recent decades, there has been a significant improvement in the management of patients with the combination of surgery, chemotherapy and immunotherapy. In this context, a significant advance has been the development and use of monoclonal antibody drugs such as pembrolizumab (KEYTRUDA), a programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitor. The aim of this article is to present the results of a recent clinical trial that has become the key to greater opportunities in the treatment of adult patients with resectable NSCLC at high risk of relapse. Thanks to KEYNOTE-671, pembrolizumab in combination with platinum-containing chemotherapy can be used first as neoadjuvant and then as monotherapy as adjuvant treatment [2]. Significantly, pembrolizumab became the first immune endpoint inhibitor to receive Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for perioperative use [3].
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