How Successful Is Immunotherapy For Lung Cancer?
For those battling lung cancer, immunotherapy—alone or in concert with traditional treatments—can greatly enhance results. Lung cancer, the most often occurring cancer globally, affects around 2.1 million people annually and ranks first among cancer-related fatalities for men and women. Along with 130,000 fatalities in 2023, the United States alone is expected to have 240,000 new lung cancer cases. Every year, lung cancer takes more lives than cancer of the breast, prostate, and colon taken together. Treatment Alternatives for Lung Cancer Until recently, radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery were the accepted treatments for lung cancer. Although they greatly increase longevity and provide symptom relief, most lung cancer patients are diagnosed with advanced illness (stage 3b/4). Hence, these therapies are unlikely to cause complete cures. The U.S. FDA authorized the first immunotherapy to treat a subgroup of lung cancer patients in 2015. Immunotherapy is a kind of treatment meant to assist a person’s immune system in either eradicating or regulating cancer. Recent clinical studies treating patients with immunotherapy, either alone or in combination with other treatments, have shown notable patient improvement, leading to FDA approval of many other immunotherapy options for more lung cancer patients, including approvals to treat patients with immunotherapy as a first-line therapy instead of conventional treatments. Focused Antibodies Approved for subsets of people with non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), amivantam (RybrevantTM) is a bispecific antibody targeting EGFR and MET receptors on tumor cells. Approved for subsets of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including as a first-line treatment, bevacizumab (Avastin®) is a monoclonal antibody targeting the VEGF/VEGFR pathway and suppresses tumor blood vessel growth. Approved for subsets of individuals with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including as a first-line treatment, necitumumab (Portrazza®) is a monoclonal antibody targeted targeting the EGFR pathway. Approved for subsets of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including as a first-line treatment, ramucirumab (Cyramza®) is a monoclonal antibody that targets the VEGF/VEGFR2 pathway and reduces tumor blood vessel development. Approved for subsets of patients with advanced lung cancer, trastuzumab deruxtecan (Enhertu®) is an antibody-drug combination targeted at the HER2 pathway, delivering lethal medicines to tumors. Immunomodulators: Approved for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small cell lung cancer (SCLC), including as a first-line treatment in conjunction with chemotherapy, atezolizumab (Tecentriq®) is a checkpoint inhibitor targeted at the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Approved for a subgroup of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), cemiplimab (Libtayo®) is a checkpoint inhibitor aiming at targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Approved for subgroups of patients with advanced lung cancer with DNA mismatch repair failure (dMMR), dostarlimab (Jemperli) is a checkpoint inhibitor aiming to target the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Approved for subsets of patients with lung cancer, including in combination with tremelimumab, durvalumab (Imfinzi®) is a checkpoint inhibitor targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Approved, in conjunction with nivolumab, as a first-line treatment, both with or without chemotherapy, for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and mesothelioma, ipilimumab (Yervoy®) is a checkpoint inhibitor targeted at the CTLA-4 pathway. Approved for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and mesothelioma in combination with ipilimumab, with or without chemotherapy; also approved for NSCLC in the neoadjuvant (pre-surgical) setting in combination with chemotherapy nivolumab (Opdivo®) targets the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Approved for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), including as a first-line treatment, an adjuvant (post-surgery) therapy, or in conjunction with chemotherapy, pembrolizumab (Keytruda®) is a checkpoint inhibitor targeted at the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway. Approved in conjunction with durvalumab and chemotherapy for subgroups of patients with metastatic lung cancer, tremelimumab (Imjudo®) is a checkpoint inhibitor targeted at the CTLA-4 pathway. Combining Immunotherapy And Chemotherapy When advanced SCLC strikes, the checkpoint inhibitors Tecentriq and Imfinzi may be used in conjunction with certain chemotherapy medications as the first treatment—and they can be kept on after chemotherapy as maintenance. Sometimes, Keytruda, Tecentriq, or Libtayo are combined with chemotherapy as the first treatment for advanced NSCLC patients. Chemotherapy may also be used first in conjunction with checkpoint inhibitors Opdivo and Yervoy. Conclusion These medications occasionally cause your immune system to hyperactivate and function too effectively. More severe side effects like inflammation of your lungs, liver, kidneys, thyroid, and pituitary glands, or autoimmune diseases that might compromise an organ or gland could follow from this. Tell your doctor early on of any negative effects. Their chances of worsening are less probable the sooner they are addressed. One of the most hopeful lung cancer treatments available in decades is immunotherapy. Clear evidence comes from the many present and upcoming clinical studies evaluating its efficacy. In their continuous battle against lung cancer, doctors expect it will show to be a useful weapon.
Is Immunotherapy for Cancer Available in India?
Cancer is one of the chronic diseases which are spreading worldwide and affecting millions of people each year. Several people are getting serious health problems and some of them are facing death. If we talk about the impact of this disease, then it causes emotional and financial stress to the patient’s family. People are searching for the effective treatment which helps them to reduce the symptoms but they are still struggling. In recent years, doctors and researchers have found a way that gives everyone a hope to live again. The name of this effective treatment is immunotherapy. If we talk about immunotherapy treatment in India, then you will find that it saves the lives of many individuals. However, we will learn about immunotherapy and how it can save people from cancer in this blog. So, stay tuned with us till the end, maybe you will find some authentic information about it. About Immunotherapy Our body needs help to fight against dangerous cells such as cancer and immunotherapy helps our body with this factor. This therapy makes our immune system strong which helps it to find and kill the harmful cell of cancer. The function of our immune system is to protect our body from the harmful bacteria and viruses which hides and weakens it. You will find different types of immunotherapy which have their own functions. The work of one type is to attach cancer cells with special proteins called antibodies to mark them for destruction by the immune system. Another one is checkpoint inhibitors which remove the brakes from the immune system and allow it to attack cancer cells more effectively. A patient can take immunotherapy through several manners such as injections, pills, or directly into the bloodstream. It can be used alone or with other treatments like chemotherapy or radiation. This therapy is more helpful and effective than traditional treatment by targeting cancer cells specifically. These properties or types make immunotherapy an effective and promising medical approach to help the immune system to fight against cancer cells. You can take this treatment from the best immunotherapy hospital in India and Global Regenex will help you in this. Availability of Immunotherapy in India In the past, cancer immunotherapy in India mainly included surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. The aim of these treatments is to protect our body by destroying cancer cells but often came with severe side effects. After some years, scientists of the Indian medical field have advanced and introduced new treatments called immunotherapy. Immunotherapy helps patients of India to fight against these dangerous cancer cells by enhancing their immune system. Unlike traditional treatments, immunotherapy boosts the body’s natural defenses to target and destroy cancer cells more effectively. Many hospitals now offer this treatment as part of their cancer care programs. How Immunotherapy Helps Patients To Fight Against Cancer Cells? One of the finest treatment options to treat cancer cells is Immunotherapy that helps the immune system fight cancer. We all know that the immune system is the body’s natural defense which protects us against infections and diseases. Sometimes, cancer cells can hide from the immune system or block it from attacking them. Immunotherapy works by boosting the immune system or helping it recognize and destroy cancer cells. This treatment can be very effective and is often used when other treatments, like chemotherapy or radiation, don’t work. Procedure of Immunotherapy: Step 1. Diagnosis Doctors first confirm the presence of cancer and decide if immunotherapy is a suitable treatment option. Step 2. Choosing the Right Type: There are different types of immunotherapy. The doctor will choose the one that is best for the specific type of cancer. Step 3. Preparing the Patient: Before starting immunotherapy, the patient may need to undergo certain tests and procedures to prepare for the treatment. Step 4. Administering the Treatment: Immunotherapy can be given in various ways, such as through an IV, pills, or creams. The doctor will decide the best method for each patient. Step 5. Monitoring the Response: After starting immunotherapy, the doctors will closely monitor the patient’s response to the treatment. This helps in adjusting the treatment if necessary. Step 6. Managing Side Effects: Like all treatments, immunotherapy can have side effects. Doctors will manage these side effects to keep the patient comfortable and healthy. Doctors are doing various research on immunotherapy in India to make it more effective and safe for everyone. You can take a consultant from Global Regenex for your cancer treatment. We are always here to help you in your hard days. What Makes Immunotherapy the Best Choice Against Cancer? Traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation directly target and kill the cancer cells. But immunotherapy helps the immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively. By taking this therapy, the immune system boosts rapidly and provides long-lasting protection, and reducing side effects makes it an attractive option for many cancer patients. This approach has shown great promise in treating various types of cancer and has several advantages that make it a preferred option for many patients and doctors. Boosts the Immune System: Immunotherapy strengthens the body’s natural defenses, making it better equipped to fight cancer cells. Fewer Side Effects: Unlike chemotherapy and radiation, which can harm healthy cells and cause severe side effects, immunotherapy usually targets only cancer cells, resulting in fewer side effects. Long-lasting Protection: Immunotherapy can provide long-term protection against cancer by training the immune system to remember and attack cancer cells if they return. Effective for Many Cancers: This treatment has been successful in treating various cancers, including melanoma, lung cancer, and leukemia. Personalized Treatment: Immunotherapy can be tailored to each patient’s unique cancer and immune system, making it a highly personalized and effective treatment option. Improves Quality of Life: By reducing the side effects and being more targeted, immunotherapy often allows patients to maintain a better quality of life during treatment. Synopsis Many hospitals and clinics offer immunotherapy for cancer in India to provide new hope for cancer patients. The accessibility
