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The review period for&nbsp;a supplemental biologics license application for first-line treatment with pembrolizumab monotherapy for the treatment of patients with locally advanced or metastatic nonsquamous or squamous non&ndash;small cell lung cancer with PD-L1 expression (tumor proportion score) of &ge;1% and no&nbsp;<em>EGFR&nbsp;</em>or&nbsp;<em>ALK&nbsp;</em>genomic tumor aberrations has been extended by the FDA, according to a press release by Merck,&nbsp;the manufacturer of pembrolizumab.

Precision medicine has produced some dramatic successes in patients with advanced cancer. With developments in molecular profiling, targeted therapies are being applied to multiple tumors, most notably in advanced melanoma, NSCLC, and several types of leukemia. Alison Schram, MD, and David M. Hyman, MD, point out the challenges in determining the proportion of patients who will benefit from receiving targeted therapies.

Acquired resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting <em>EGFR</em> mutations in patients with non&ndash;small cell lung cancer are leading to next-generation therapies equipped to circumvent the mutations that arise from initial treatment.&nbsp;A review of these mechanisms, and the latest agents being developed to address them, shows that the pipeline holds promise for the future.

The phase III TAHOE trial evaluating rovalpituzumab tesirine as a second-line treatment for&nbsp;patients with advanced small cell lung cancer has been put on hold, based on a recommendation from an&nbsp;Independent Data Monitoring Committee, according to AbbVie, the developer of the investigational antibody-drug conjugate.<br /> &nbsp;

Atezolizumab (Tecentriq) has been approved by the FDA&nbsp;for use in combination with bevacizumab, carboplatin, and paclitaxel as a first-line treatment for patients with metastatic nonsquamous non-small cell lung cancer. This indication excludes patients with <em>EGFR</em>/<em>ALK</em> aberrations.

Vassiliki A. Papadimitrakopoulou, MD, Jay and Lori Eisenberg Distinguished Professor of Medicine and section chief of thoracic medical oncology in the department of thoracic/head and neck medical oncology at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the data that were presented at the World Conference on Lung Cancer earlier this year for the IMpower 132 trial comparing the combination of carboplatin/cisplatin plus atezolizumab (Tecentriq) to standard chemotherapy in patients with non&ndash;small cell lung cancer.

Using durvalumab&nbsp;(Imfinzi) combined with&nbsp;tremelimumab for the frontline treatment of patients with metastatic non&ndash;small cell lung cancer did not result in a&nbsp;statistically significant improvement in overall survival compared to standard chemotherapy, according to a press release from AstraZeneca.

Emerging Biomarkers in NSCLC

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Alexander E. Drilon, MD, discusses&nbsp;developing markers in the non&ndash;small cell lung cancer paradigm.

Groundbreaking developments in cancer therapies can change lives, extending survival and sending patients who previously thought their chances were slim into remission. But these therapies come at a cost, and many patients reel at the prospect of heavy financial burdens. To help patients and programs meet the challenges of affording cancer treatments, community cancer centers are expanding the role of financial advocates in their organizations.