Few Next-Line Options After Chemoimmunotherapy in Squamous NSCLC

Balazs Halmos, MD, frames the program around advanced squamous non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that progresses after immunotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy, a setting in which docetaxel remains a standard next-line option and progress has been slow. He notes that development now spans antibody-drug conjugates, bispecific antibodies, new immunotherapy combinations, and newer approaches to cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4). Vamsidhar Velcheti, MD, calls squamous NSCLC an area of major unmet need and says his personal preference after chemoimmunotherapy is gemcitabine, citing tolerability and his own anecdotal experience with responses. Dr. Halmos observes that squamous NSCLC now trails even small cell lung cancer, where new data such as the DeLLphi-305 trial continue to emerge. Alexander Spira, MD, PhD, FACP, gives docetaxel because most clinicians do, noting that both docetaxel and gemcitabine have been available for about 30 years. He calls them drugs clinicians dislike giving with nothing better available.