Immune checkpoint inhibitors have transformed the treatment landscape of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), extending their role from metastatic to resectable disease. While neoadjuvant and adjuvant immunotherapies have each shown clinical value, recent evidence suggests that a perioperative strategy-incorporating both preoperative and postoperative immune-based treatment-may provide more consistent and durable survival benefits, especially in stage IIIA and high PD-L1-expressing tumors. Despite concerns about feasibility and immune-related adverse events, phase III trials such as CheckMate 816, KEYNOTE-671, and AEGEAN have demonstrated that perioperative chemoimmunotherapy is both effective and tolerable in real-world practice. This review examines the rationale, clinical trial data, patient selection criteria, and safety profile of perioperative immunotherapy, and argues for its increasing adoption as a strategic standard in eligible NSCLC patients. Additionally, emerging biomarkers and ctDNA-based MRD surveillance hold promise for refining precision of perioperative treatment. Taken together, the evidence supports perioperative immunotherapy as a forward-looking, evidence-based approach to improving outcomes in resectable NSCLC.
Kim et al. (Thu,) studied this question.