Scott Gettinger, MD, associate professor of medicine (medical oncology), Yale School of Medicine, explains the development of immunotherapies in lung cancer.

Gettinger says that though there has not been a consistent advantage to immunotherapies to this point, it may change soon. Certain immune checkpoints have been identified, which suppresses the immune system and prevent against autoimmunity. In cancer, this suppression of the immune system allows tumors to attack and spread in the body.

Immunotherapies such as anti-PD-1 and ipilimumab prevent the “brakes” on the immune system and allow T-cells to help fight the cancer, Gettinger says. Future trials in lung cancer may examine the combination of several immunotherapies, including the reexamination of older therapies.

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Dr. Gettinger on Lung Cancer Immunotherapies

Scott Gettinger, MD, associate professor of medicine (medical oncology), Yale School of Medicine, discusses updated results from a phase I trial that examined the novel immunotherapy BMS-936558 in patients with non-small cell lung cancer and other solid tumors.

The study analyzed the programmed death-1 (PD-1) pathway as a target in several different cancers. Heavily pretreated patients received BMS-936558 intravenously at doses of 0.1 to 10.0 mg/kg during dose-escalation and/or cohort expansion. Gettinger was surprised that response rates were so high, considering the patients were heavily pretreated. The updated results showed an initial response of 18% in non-small cell lung cancer.

With 122 patients available to assess, the response by RECIST criteria was 16% for patients with NSCLC. Gettinger adds that patients who did respond saw long lasting responses, including some patients beyond one year.

When using immunotherapies, Gettinger says, there is sometimes a delay in when a regression can be seen on a radiograph, which may have impacted the overall results.

Scott Gettinger, MD, from the Yale School of Medicine, discusses updated results from a phase I trial that examined the novel immunotherapy BMS-936558 in patients with NSCLC and other solid tumors.

Scott Gettinger, MD

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Dr. Gettinger on Lung Cancer Immunotherapies

Dr. Gettinger on PD-1 Inhibitor BMS-936558 in NSCLC