Clinical consideration for choosing combination therapies in advanced non-small-cell lung cancer: Age, Eastern Cooperative Organization performance status 2, steroids and antibiotics

Immune checkpoint inhibition completely changed our approach of cancer therapeutics and led to interesting response rate in a wide spectrum of tumors. However, only a portion of patients benefits from immune checkpoint blockers. To improve response rates, monoclonal antibodies targeting costimulatory receptors called PD-1 or CTLA-4 are combined together or with different therapies such as chemotherapy or antiangiogenic drugs. Some of these combinations are already approved and used in daily practice, but the safety and efficacy in particular populations such as older patients, Eastern Cooperative Organization performance status 2 or patients taking corticosteroids or antibiotics remain unclear. This special report focuses on the data available for these populations with a focus on non-small-cell lung cancer.