Current Readings: Window-of-Opportunity Trials for Thoracic Malignancies

Recent major advances in metastatic non-small cell lung cancer have occurred with the identification of molecular biomarker targets and administration of novel agents with resulting improvement in clinical outcomes. In the early-stage setting, personalized therapy with novel agents and molecular profiling are being incorporated into neoadjuvant "window-of-opportunity" trials. These important studies enable biomarker research and an expedited analysis of the efficacy of the targeted agent. However, there are significant limitations to window-of-opportunity trials. The aim of this article is to review the current window-of-opportunity trials of neoadjuvant targeted agents for thoracic malignancies, discuss the benefits and limitations of these trials, and propose more optimal alternative trial end points. Neoadjuvant trials of resectable non-small cell lung cancer and mesothelioma that are ongoing or under development and relevant to thoracic surgeons are also discussed. The success of these trials will depend on a collaborative multidisciplinary effort, especially from the field of thoracic surgery.