MEK Inhibitors in Lung Cancer—You Can Teach an Old Drug New Tricks

In this issue of Cancer Research, Xie and colleagues reveal an unexpected synergy between MEK inhibitors and immune checkpoint blockade in non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Small-molecule inhibition of MEK led to increased cell surface expression of TNF receptor-1 (TNFR1) and sensitized NSCLC cells to cytokine-induced apoptosis. This study provides preclinical rationale for exploring the combination of MAPK pathway inhibitors with immunotherapy in NSCLC, independent of KRAS mutation status. See related article by Xie et al., p. 5812