Die neoadjuvante Immunchemotherapie des nichtkleinzelligen Lungenkarzinoms: Was Thoraxchirurginnen und -chirurgen wissen müssen

Neoadjuvant immunotherapy is a promising treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), a disease for which the prognosis has improved little despite enormous efforts. Now (immune) checkpoint inhibitors have brought hope. The first approval was granted by the European Medicines Agency (EMA) in 2022, meaning that some patients with NSCLC can now receive neoadjuvant treatment outside of clinical trials as part of a multimodal treatment. The results of other trials are eagerly awaited.

In the meantime, clinically relevant aspects of immunotherapy are encountered in everyday clinical practice. Adverse events of neoadjuvant treatment, such as pneumonia, thyroiditis and colitis, can lead to delays in oncological treatment. In addition, the indications for complete pathological remission, primary resistance and pseudoprogression remain challenging; however, these will have to be dealt with and this requires knowledge of the specific aspects of neoadjuvant immunotherapy.

Reading this publication will provide the surgical community with a clinically relevant understanding of the possibilities and limitations of immunotherapy for NSCLC beyond the immediate perioperative episode.