Efficacy and safety of nivolumab for advanced/recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer: an up-to-date meta-analysis of large-scale phase III randomized controlled trials

• Published in: Future oncology (London, England) Vol. 18; no. 32; pp. 3667 - 3675
• Main Authors: Zhang, Hong, Zhang, Limin, Chen, Keling, Chen, Guo
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Future Medicine Ltd 01.10.2022
• Subjects: advanced/recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung - drug therapy; efficacy; Humans; Lung Neoplasms - chemically induced; Lung Neoplasms - drug therapy; meta-analysis; nivolumab; Nivolumab - adverse effects; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; safety; Treatment Outcome; meta-analysis; nivolumab; advanced/recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer; safety; efficacy
• ISSN: 1479-6694; 1744-8301
• DOI: 10.2217/fon-2022-0081

To evaluate the efficacy and safety of nivolumab for advanced/recurrent non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Electronic databases were searched, and a systematic evaluation was performed. Seven phase III randomized controlled trials and 4705 patients were included. Nivolumab improved overall survival, progression-free survival and overall response rate for advanced/recurrent NSCLC. The efficacy of nivolumab was not correlated with PD-L1 expression levels. Nivolumab combination therapy was superior to nivolumab monotherapy. NSCLC patients may benefit from nivolumab in both first-line and second-line treatment. Nivolumab did not enhance the risk of commonly reported adverse events such as fatigue, hepatotoxicity and gastrointestinal events, but enhanced the risk of immune-related adverse events. Nivolumab-associated pneumonitis is a concern. Nivolumab showed improved efficacy for advanced/recurrent NSCLC but increased the risk of immune-related adverse events.