Targeted Therapy and Immunotherapy in the Treatment of Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

Radiol Clin North Am. 2018 May;56(3):485-495. doi: 10.1016/j.rcl.2018.01.012.

Abstract

The treatment strategy in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has evolved from empirical chemotherapy to a personalized approach based on histology and molecular markers of primary tumors. Targeted therapies are directed at the products of oncogenic driver mutations. Immunotherapy facilitates the recognition of cancer as foreign by the host immune system, stimulates the immune system, and alleviates the inhibition that allows the growth and spread of cancer cells. The authors describes the role of targeted therapy and immunotherapy in the treatment of NSCLC, patterns of disease present on imaging studies, and immune-related adverse events encountered with immunotherapy.

Keywords: Immunotherapy; Lung cancer; Targeted therapy.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / diagnostic imaging*
  • Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / therapy*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Lung / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung Neoplasms / therapy*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods*
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography / methods
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed / methods
  • Treatment Outcome