An update on current standards and clinical trials in systemic therapy for stage III NSCLC

Despite a number of recent breakthroughs in the treatment of metastatic NSCLC, the management of patients with stage III disease remains a challenge. The standard of care remains concurrent chemoradiation, and though a number of treatment strategies have been studied, no novel approach has clearly shown a consistent benefit. Future studies will focus on treatment with targeted therapies in selected patient populations and the use of novel immunotherapeutic strategies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, as consolidation therapy. This paper will review ongoing efforts to utilize innovative approaches to improve outcomes in this potentially curable subset of patients.