Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer

Platinum-based chemotherapy has been the mainstay of treatment for metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) since the early 1990s. Over the last decade, there has been a revolution of treatment options in the realm of molecularly targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Although these advances have transformed the landscape of lung cancer therapy, cytotoxic chemotherapy continues to be an essential component of lung cancer treatment. Extensive evidence has demonstrated the clinical benefit of chemotherapy, either alone or in combination with other modalities, on survival and quality of life of patients with early-stage, locally advanced and advanced non-small cell lung cancer and constitutes the mainstay of therapy for small cell lung cancer. Chemotherapy also remains the standard of care in patients that have progressed after other agents and will continue to be a fundamental means of lung cancer management now in novel delivery formats as a key component of antibody-drug conjugates. This chapter will discuss the history, current role of chemotherapy, and specific considerations for its clinical application in the era of personalized medicine.