Immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer: are we on the cusp of a new era?

In this editorial, we highlight the exciting advances in immunotherapy for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer, with nivolumab being the first immunotherapeutic agent to be approved by the US FDA for the treatment of squamous lung cancer and several other promising immune checkpoint inhibitors currently being evaluated in clinical trials. The next step is to understand the mechanisms of resistance and develop rational combinations in an attempt to further improve the responses and survival in lung cancer.