CheckMate 153 study: are age and performance status relevant for immune checkpoint inhibitor efficacy?

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), including pembrolizumab and nivolumab, both monoclonal antibodies against programmed cell death-1 (PD-1), and antibodies targeting the programmed cell death receptor ligand-1 (PD-L1) such as atezolizumab or durvalumab, have heralded impressive therapeutic advances in previously treated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Several studies have compared ICI with standard chemotherapy, and reported an unprecedented 5-year overall survival (OS) of 15% with ICIs (1). This breakthrough was followed by a further report of a survival benefit when ICIs were administered in the first-line setting in an unselected population, both as single agents and in combination with chemotherapy or ipilimumab, compared with platinum-based chemotherapy (2).