Journal of Practical Oncology ›› 2025, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (1): 67-72.doi: 10.11904/j.issn.1002-3070.2025.01.010

• Review • Previous Articles    

Advance progress in immunotherapy for unresectable locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

LI Caizheng1, ZHENG Jing2, SU Qiaoli3   

  1. 1. Center for Family Medicine,West China Hospital,Sichuan University,Chengdu 610040,China;
    2. Sichuan Cancer Hospital-Research Institute,Sichuan Cancer Prevention and Control Center,Clinical Research Department,Cancer Hospital Affiliated to the University of Electronic Science and Technology;
    3. Department of Respiratory and Chronic Diseases,Center for Family Medicine,West China Hospital of Sichuan University,Wangjiang Hospital of Sichuan University
  • Received:2024-11-16 Revised:2024-12-27 Online:2025-02-28 Published:2025-03-19

Abstract: The conventional treatment for unresectable local advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)is concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by continued immune maintenance therapy for one year.However,due to the fact that most patients cannot tolerate concurrent chemotherapy,this treatment regimen has not achieved the expected results.For these patients,the combination of radiotherapy and immunotherapy is a more effective treatment strategy that can improve efficacy while ensuring safety.However,due to the high heterogeneity of patients with stage Ⅲ NSCLC,their tumor burden varies,and most patients have larger tumor volumes,the side effects caused by radiotherapy also increase accordingly,making it difficult for some patients to subsequent complete the immune maintenance therapy.For patients with larger tumor volumes,the current treatment plan is to first undergo two cycles of induction chemotherapy to shrink the tumor.Recent studies have found that adding synchronous immunotherapy during induction chemotherapy has a more significant tumor reducing effect,demonstrating promising therapeutic value.Many studies have shown that circulating tumor DNA and peripheral blood tumor mutation burden have become predictive indicators for the prognosis and immunotherapy efficacy of various advanced tumors,and are expected to guide clinicians to develop individualized immunotherapy plans in the future.This article reviews the progress of immunotherapy for unresectable locally advanced NSCLC.

Key words: Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer, Concurrent chemoradiotherapy, Adverse events, Immunotherapy

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