Multidisciplinary Perspectives In the Management of Borderline Resectable Early-Stage NSCLC: A Focus on the Role of Pulmonary Rehabilitation

EP: 1.Comprehensive Molecular Testing in Early-Stage NSCLC: Best Practices and Multidisciplinary Strategies

EP: 2.Optimizing Tissue Biopsy and Disease Staging in Early-Stage NSCLC

EP: 3.Optimizing Molecular Testing, Diagnosis, and Workflow in Early-Stage NSCLC Through Multidisciplinary Collaboration

EP: 4.Comprehensive Biomarker Testing in Early-Stage NSCLC: Identifying Gaps, Challenges, and Strategies for Improvement

EP: 5.Expert Insights and Best Practices in Diagnosing Resectable Early-Stage NSCLC

EP: 6.A Focus on the Role of Patient Navigators in the Diagnosis and Management of Early-Stage NSCLC

EP: 7.Enhancing Early-Stage NSCLC Diagnosis: Leveraging Pathology and Imaging for Accurate Staging

EP: 8.Navigating the Evolving Treatment Landscape for Early-Stage NSCLC: Personalizing Care Through Biomarker-Guided Strategies and Multidisciplinary Approaches

EP: 9.Expert Insights and Clinical Decision-Making: Neoadjuvant and Perioperative Strategies in Early-Stage NSCLC

EP: 10.Evolving Targeted Therapy Approaches in Resectable Early-Stage NSCLC With Actionable Mutations

EP: 11.Leveraging MRD Testing to Guide Treatment Decisions in Early-Stage Resectable NSCLC

EP: 12.Utilizing pCR, MPR, and Other Clinical Indicators to Guide Adjuvant Treatment Decisions in Early-Stage NSCLC

EP: 13.Expert Insights and Best Practices in the Diagnosis of Unresectable Early-Stage NSCLC

EP: 14.Expert Insights in the Management of Early-Stage NSCLC With Limited Nodal or Oligometastatic Disease

Now Viewing

EP: 15.Multidisciplinary Perspectives In the Management of Borderline Resectable Early-Stage NSCLC: A Focus on the Role of Pulmonary Rehabilitation

EP: 16.Advancements in the Management of Stage III NSCLC: Expert Insights on the LAURA Trial

EP: 17.Looking Ahead: Treatment Advancements and Multidisciplinary Perspectives on the Future of Early-Stage NSCLC Care

Video content above is prompted by the following:
PD-L1 Status in Treatment Decisions for Unresectable Early-Stage NSCLC

Role of PD-L1 Status in Unresectable Early-Stage Disease

PD-L1 expression serves as a significant biomarker that guides immunotherapy decisions in unresectable early stage NSCLC. Higher PD-L1 expression levels (≥1%) are associated with improved response to immune checkpoint inhibitors, particularly when combined with standard chemoradiation approaches. The magnitude of benefit from immunotherapy appears to correlate with PD-L1 expression levels.

Treatment Approach for Unresectable Early-Stage NSCLC with PD-L1 <1%

For patients with unresectable early-stage NSCLC exhibiting low or negative PD-L1 expression (<1%), the recommended treatment approach includes:

• Definitive concurrent chemoradiation as the foundation of treatment
• Consideration of consolidation immunotherapy despite low PD-L1 expression, as some patients may still derive benefit
• Enrollment in clinical trials investigating novel combination approaches specifically for PD-L1–low populations when available
• Close monitoring for disease progression with early intervention strategies
• Careful assessment of patient-specific factors including performance status, comorbidities, and tumor characteristics to guide individualized treatment decisions

This approach recognizes that while PD-L1 status is important for predicting immunotherapy benefit, other factors including disease burden, patient characteristics, and alternative biomarkers should be considered when making treatment decisions for this challenging patient population.