ABSTRACT Introduction The addition of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) to platinum‐based chemotherapy has improved outcomes in patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, evidence on the efficacy of adding ICI to platinum retreatment in patients who relapse after perioperative platinum‐based chemotherapy remains limited. Methods We retrospectively analyzed patients with recurrent NSCLC following perioperative platinum‐based chemotherapy. Patients were categorized into either the “chemo group,” who received platinum retreatment without ICI, or the “ICI‐chemo group,” who received platinum retreatment with ICI. The primary endpoint was progression‐free survival in patients treated with ICI. Results Among 124 patients who received perioperative platinum therapy and surgery, 31 underwent platinum retreatment: 17 in the chemo group and 14 in the ICI‐chemo group. PFS was significantly longer in the ICI‐chemo group than in the chemo group (15.4 vs. 5.9 months; log‐rank p = 0.023; HR 0.40, 95% CI, 0.18–0.90). Among patients with PD‐L1 ≥ 50%, the ICI‐chemo group showed a greater trend toward longer PFS compared with the chemo group (16.9 vs. 4.0 months; HR 0.11, 95% CI, 0.01–1.05). Conclusions Adding ICI to platinum retreatment may be an effective option for patients with NSCLC who relapse after perioperative chemotherapy, particularly in those with PD‐L1 expression ≥ 50%.
Takakura et al. (Mon,) studied this question.