Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death globally, causing 1.7 million deaths a year. Patients in the study had an advanced stage of non-squamous non-small-cell lung cancer. Other studies in lung cancer have involved another checkpoint inhibitor, nivolumab, or Opdivo (made by Bristol-Myers Squibb), which works in a similar way to pembrolizumab. Dr. Gandhi’s study included 616 patients with advanced lung cancer, ages 34 to 84, from medical centers in 16 countries. “It represents a sea change in the way we think about treating lung cancer,” she said.

Source: New York Times April 16, 2018 13:32 UTC