Cancer Immunotherapy and Immune-Related Adverse Events: Focusing on Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer

The development of immunotherapy has changed the paradigm of cancer treatment. In particular, immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) demonstrate therapeutic efficacy and improve patient survival across multiple cancer types. Currently, however, only a subset of cancer patients can achieve objective therapeutic responses and gain survival benefits from immunotherapy. Treatment-associated side effects, namely immune-related adverse events (irAEs), may cause autoimmune and inflammatory complications in various organ systems and hinder the use of immunotherapy in cancer patients. Herein, the development of cancer immunotherapy and the modulatory roles of the tumor immune microenvironment, with a focus on ICI therapy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), are reviewed. The grading, types, biomarkers, and treatment of irAEs are also discussed. More research is needed to further increase the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy and alleviate irAEs.