Chemotherapy remains a cornerstone in the treatment of nonsmall cell lung cancer

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of the review is to summarize the current and future role of chemotherapy in the treatment of patients with nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC). RECENT FINDINGS: Chemotherapy has been established in early-stage, locally advanced and metastatic NSCLC. Patients with driver mutation-positive NSCLC receive tyrosine kinase inhibitors as first-line therapy and chemotherapy later during the course of their disease. Immune checkpoint inhibitors have entered clinical practice as single agents or in combination with chemotherapy. These novel treatments will supplement chemotherapy in all tumor stages of NSCLC. SUMMARY: Targeted drugs and immune checkpoint inhibitors are gaining increasing importance in the treatment of NSCLC. They will supplement but not replace chemotherapy in the future.