Dr. Subramanian on Ongoing Trials for Patients With Nonsquamous NSCLC

Janakiraman Subramanian, MD, medical oncologist, director of Thoracic Oncology, Center for Precision Medicine, Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute, discusses ongoing trials evaluating the use of immunotherapy in patients with nonsquamous non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

At Saint Luke’s Cancer Institute, there are several ongoing trials that are investigating the use of these agents, specifically, the addition of lenvatinib (Lenvima) to the combination of chemotherapy and pembrolizumab (Keytruda). Physicians believe that the addition of the TKI to combination chemoimmunotherapy may be the next step in frontline treatment for these patients, says Subramanian.

Another strategy is attempting to build upon the benefit that has been observed with single-agent immunotherapy, he explains by adding another checkpoint inhibitor, such as a LAG-3 antibody or a TIM-3 monoclonal antibody. TIM-3 is an investigational checkpoint for which there are available targeted agents. Those agents are being tested in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor in the second-line setting for patients who have progressed through immunotherapy, concludes Subramanian.