Immunotherapies have changed the treatment strategy of some types of tumor including melanoma and, more recently, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Immune checkpoints are crucial for the maintenance of self-tolerance and it is known that some tumors use checkpoint systems to evade antitumor immune response. The treatment of advanced NSCLC by immune-checkpoint blockade targeting the programmed cell death protein-1 (PD1/PDL1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte antigen 4 (CTLA4) pathways has led to significant clinical benefit either as monotherapy or in combination therapy. Moreover, checkpoint receptors such as lymphocyte activation gene 3 protein (LAG3), T-cell immunoglobulin mucin domain 3 (TIM3) and killer immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIRs) are also being investigated as potential immunotherapeutic targets. This review focuses on the mechanisms of action of the main checkpoint inhibitors in lung cancer and presents the most relevant results from preclinical and clinical studies on immune-based treatments.

免疫疗法已改变了某些类型肿瘤的治疗策略，包括黑色素瘤，以及最近的非小细胞肺癌（NSCLC）。免疫检查点对于维持自身耐受性至关重要，众所周知，某些肿瘤使用检查点系统来逃避抗肿瘤免疫反应。通过针对程序性细胞死亡蛋白1（PD1 / PDL1）和细胞毒性T淋巴细胞抗原4（CTLA4）途径的免疫检查点封锁治疗晚期NSCLC，无论是单药治疗还是联合治疗，均具有显着的临床益处。此外，诸如潜在的免疫治疗靶标等检查点受体，例如淋巴细胞激活基因3蛋白（LAG3），T细胞免疫球蛋白粘蛋白结构域3（TIM3）和杀伤性免疫球蛋白样受体（KIR）也正在研究中。