Gilbert Vera* and Jason Rebecca
Immune checkpoint inhibitor immunotherapy has transformed the treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Although monoclonal antibodies against programmed cell death-1 (PD-1) and PDligand 1 (PD-L1) are commonly employed in clinical practice, additional antibodies that can overcome innate and acquired resistance are expected to undergo preclinical and clinical trials. Tumor cells, on the other hand, can create and enhance the tolerogenic character of the Tumor Microenvironment (TME), leading to tumor growth. As a result, the immune escape mechanisms exploited by growing lung cancer involve a delicate interplay between all TME actors. A deeper understanding of the molecular biology of lung cancer, as well as the cellular/molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction between lung cancer cells and immune cells in the TME, could lead to the identification of new therapeutic weapons in the long-running battle against lung cancer. This article explores the role of TME in lung cancer progression and identifies potential advances and pitfalls of immunotherapy for NSCLC.
