When should lung cancer be treated with immunotherapy?

According to Globocan 2022, lung cancer ranks first among common cancers globally. The disease is divided into two main groups: non-small cell lung cancer and small cell lung cancer. Depending on the type of pathology, doctors have different treatment methods.

The immune system plays an important role in the human body, helping to fight harmful agents such as bacteria, viruses and even cancer cells. However, cancer cells have the ability to evade the body’s immune system through many different mechanisms, making them difficult to detect and destroy. Immunotherapy in cancer treatment is a method of using the body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells.

For early stage lung cancer, surgery is still considered the main treatment method, possibly combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy. In the case of lung cancer patients with advanced stages and distant metastases, immunotherapy plays a role in supporting patients to improve survival time, reduce symptoms and improve quality of life.

Some immunotherapies being used in lung cancer treatment include:

Monoclonal antibodies Developed to mimic the immune system’s natural antibodies. When bound to cancer cells, these antibodies help the immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies have the ability to recognize and bind to specific receptors on the surface of cancer cells. From there, they support the immune system in many different ways such as activating the immune response or supporting a direct attack on cancer cells.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors. Immune checkpoints play a role in regulating the immune response, preventing the immune system from becoming overactive. This drug acts on immune sites, helping immune cells strengthen their response against cancer cells.

For lung cancer, disease stage is the main factor for doctors to predict and direct treatment methods. Lung cancer treatment is a multimodal combination (surgery, radiotherapy and systemic treatment). With the information you provided, it is currently unclear what stage you are in, the type of pathology, your general condition, so the doctor cannot offer a specific method. You should go to a hospital that specializes in Oncology to have doctors check and advise on the most accurate treatment.