• Alfredo Tartarone, Giandomenico Roviello, Rosa Lerose, Raheleh Roudi, Michele Aieta, and Pietro Zoppoli.
• Unit of Medical Oncology, Department of Onco-Hematology, IRCCS-CROB Referral Cancer Center of Basilicata Rionero in Vulture (PZ), Italy.
• Future Oncol. 2019 Jul 1; 15 (20): 2423-2433.

AbstractAim: At present three immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), two anti-PD-1 (nivolumab and pembrolizumab) and one anti-PD-L1 (atezolizumab) can be used in pretreated non-small-cell lung cancer patients. The aim of this meta-analysis is an indirect comparison between anti-PD-1 and anti-PD-L1 inhibitors. Methods: Seven studies (>4000 patients) were considered. Results: Considering the overall survival ICIs showed very robust efficacy over docetaxel, while in terms of progression-free survival the therapy with ICIs is slightly favored. Anti-PD-1 gives a more significant benefit than anti-PD-L1; however, excluding the KEYNOTE 010 trial that enrolled only PD-L1-positive patients, the subgroup difference remains only in terms of progression-free survival. Conclusion: This meta-analysis confirms the superiority of ICIs over docetaxel in pretreated non-small-cell lung cancer patients and would indicate a slight benefit from anti-PD-1 than from anti-PD-L1 inhibitors, always keeping in mind the possible biases of this indirect comparison.

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