Treatment outcomes of monotherapy pembrolizumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer with PD-L1 expression ≥ 50% at the National Lung Hospital
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Abstract
Pembrolizumab immunotherapy monotherapy has recently demonstrated superior outcomes in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with PD-L1 ≥ 50%. This study was conducted on 49 patients with metastatic NSCLC, without EGFR or ALK mutations, treated at the National Lung Hospital from 2018 to October 2025. The results showed an overall response rate (ORR) of 65.3%, including 6.1% complete responses and 59.2% partial responses. Stable disease was observed in 14.2% of patients, resulting in a disease control rate (DCR) of 79.5%, while 20.4% experienced disease progression. The median progression-free survival (PFS) was 13.27 months, with a maximum of 29 months. The median overall survival (OS) was 20.1 months, also reaching a maximum of 60 months. The main adverse events included hypothyroidism, adrenal insufficiency, dermatologic reactions, and pneumonitis; these were infrequent and generally mild in severity. In conclusion, pembrolizumab monotherapy in patients with metastatic NSCLC and PD-L1 expression ≥ 50% significantly improves response rates and overall survival outcomes.
Article Details
Keywords
Non–small cell lung cancer, pembrolizumab monotherapy, PD-L1 ≥ 50%
References
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