Anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 Immunotherapy as a Potential Treatment Option for Lung Cancer: A Perspective Analysis of Opportunities and Challenges

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Putri

Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy reshapes lung cancer treatment by reactivating the immune system to specifically recognize and eliminate cancer cells in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study extracts evidence from PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar using keywords “PD-1”, “PD-L1”, “Immunotherapy”, and “NSCLC”. It highlights durable response and survival gains while detailing key obstacles including immune escape, patient heterogeneity, and immune-related adverse effects. Future directions focus on improving outcomes by addressing resistance biology and optimizing treatment strategies.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction

The Rationale for Targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 Axis

Mechanism of Action and Immune Escape

Restoration of the T-Cell Function

Mechanisms of Immune Escape

Health Science Reports PERSPECTIVE Anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 Immunotherapy as a Potential Treatment Option for Lung Cancer: A Perspective Analysis of Opportunities and Challenges Md Mohiuddin Department of Pharmacy, Southeast University, Dhaka, Bangladesh Correspondence: Md Mohiuddin ([mohiuddin.pharma_seu@yahoo.com](mohiuddin.pharma_seu@yahoo.com)) Received: 17 April 2025 | Revised: 18 June 2025 | Accepted: 2 December 2025 Keywords: immunotherapy | NSCLC | PD‐1 | PD‐L1 ABSTRACT Background and Aims: Anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 immunotherapy has changed the treatment landscape of lung cancer. This new approach provides the ability to revitalize the immune system to specifically target and kill cancer cells, thereby creating a new treatment paradigm for patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) . Methods: In this study, relevant information was extracted from published articles available on PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. The keywords “PD‐1”,“PD‐L1”,“Immunotherapy”, and “NSCLC” were used to search for relevant information. Results: Despite the promise of durable responses to treatment and overall survival benefits, there are many challenges related to anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 therapies, including immune escape, patient heterogeneity, and immune‐related side effects. In this study, we discuss the rationale for targeting the PD‐1/PD‐L1 axis, the complex mechanism of immune activation and resistance, innovative ideas, and future directions for the field to enhance anti‐PD‐1/PD‐L1 outcomes. Conclusion: Investigating resistance mechanisms and developing innovative treatment strategies are essential to optimize the clinical benefits of PD‐1/PD‐L1 immunotherapy for NSCLC. 1 | Introduction Globally, lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer‐related death, with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounting for approximately 85% of all cases [1] . Despite surgical intervention, chemotherapeutic agents, and targeted therapies that have changed the treatment landscape for lung cancer, long‐term survival is still lacking, particularly in advanced‐stage disease [2, 3] . In recent years, immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting the programmed death‐1 (PD‐1) receptor and its ligand, PD‐L1, have changed the treatment landscape of NSCLC by using the immune system to recognize and eradicate cancer cells [4, 5] . Immune checkpoint inhibitors have produced durable clinical responses and improved survival in a subset of patients, thereby establishing a new standard of care [6, 7] . However, the use of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors can be limited by primary and acquired resistance, patient heterogeneity, and immune‐related adverse events [8, 9] . In light of the increased clinical use of PD‐1/PD‐L1 inhibitors, there is an increasing need to understand the biological mechanisms underlying the response and resistance to treatment. Studying these pathways and developing new strategies to optimize the benefits of immunotherapy may yield positive advances toward a more effective and personalized strategy for treating lung cancer. 1.1 | The Rationale for Targeting the PD‐1/PD‐ L1 Axis Tumor cells have evolved numerous mechanisms to prevent immune surveillance [10] . One of these mechanisms is through This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution‐NonCommercial‐NoDerivs License, which permits use and distribution in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited, the use is non‐commercial and no modifications or adaptations are made. © 2026 The Author(s) . Health Science Reports published by Wiley Periodicals LLC. Health Science Reports, 2026; 9:e71749 1 of 7 [https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.71749](https://doi.org/10.1002/hsr2.71749) an increase in programmed death‐ligand 1 (PD‐L1), which engages PD‐1, which is expressed on T cells and effectively “turns off” T cells so that tumor cells can continue to proliferate [11] . Anti‐PD‐1 and anti‐PD‐L1 antibodies block PD‐1 or the PD‐L1 immune function and

FAQs

What is the background for anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy in lung cancer?

Anti-PD-1/PD-L1 immunotherapy changes the lung cancer treatment landscape by revitalizing the immune system to specifically target and kill cancer cells in NSCLC.

How does the study gather information and what search terms are used?

Relevant information is extracted from published articles available on PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar, using the keywords “PD-1”, “PD-L1”, “Immunotherapy”, and “NSCLC”.

What challenges limit the effectiveness of PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors?

Limitations include immune escape, patient heterogeneity, and immune-related side effects, along with primary and acquired resistance.

Sep 30, 2026

Uploaded by Putri