Immunologic and Clinical Effects of Targeting PD-1 in Lung Cancer

Therapeutic antibodies that block the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD-1) immune checkpoint pathway prevent T-cell downregulation and promote immune responses against cancer. Several PD-1 pathway inhibitors have shown robust activity in initial trials. This article reviews the preclinical evidence, rationale, and clinical pharmacology of blockade of PD-1 or its ligands as therapy for lung cancer and provides an overview of agents in development, clinical evidence to date, and implications for clinical application.