Immunotherapy's Impact on Lung Cancer | 02/18/25 | Lung Cancer Living Room™ скачать в хорошем качестве

Immunotherapy's Impact on Lung Cancer | 02/18/25 | Lung Cancer Living Room™

In this episode of *Lung Cancer Living Room*, hosted by Danielle Hicks, Chief Patient Officer at GO2 for Lung Cancer, Dr. Gregory Allen, MD, PhD, from UCSF provides an in-depth discussion on the role of immunotherapy in lung cancer treatment. The conversation explores how immunotherapy works, who it is most effective for, and what the future holds for this rapidly evolving field. Dr. Allen begins by explaining the immune system’s role in recognizing and eliminating threats, including cancer cells. He describes how tumors can evade detection by using biological “stop signs” that prevent the immune system from attacking them. Immunotherapy drugs, specifically PD-1 and PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitors such as Keytruda, Tecentriq, and Imfinzi, work by removing these stop signals, allowing the immune system to target and destroy cancer cells more effectively. Not all lung cancer patients respond to immunotherapy, and Dr. Allen highlights the factors that influence effectiveness. In non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), patients with higher PD-L1 expression and a history of smoking tend to respond better. Meanwhile, small cell lung cancer (SCLC), which has historically been difficult to treat, is now benefiting from immunotherapy in both limited and extensive stages. However, patients with specific driver mutations such as EGFR, ALK, and ROS1 generally do not respond as well to immunotherapy and instead benefit more from targeted therapies. This underscores the importance of biomarker testing, which helps determine the most appropriate treatment for each individual case. Immunotherapy is now also playing a larger role in early-stage lung cancer treatment. Traditionally, patients with early-stage lung cancer who underwent surgery faced a high risk of recurrence. Now, immunotherapy is being used before and after surgery (referred to as neoadjuvant and adjuvant therapy) to help improve long-term outcomes. Dr. Allen emphasizes that while current guidelines recommend immunotherapy for stage two and above, research is ongoing to determine its potential benefits for stage one patients. The discussion also touches on the importance of shared decision-making between patients and their doctors. Because immunotherapy does not work for everyone and can have unpredictable side effects, patients must be proactive in reporting any changes in their health. Unlike chemotherapy, which has more predictable side effects such as nausea and fatigue, immunotherapy can sometimes cause the immune system to attack healthy organs, leading to complications that require careful management. Looking toward the future, Dr. Allen expresses excitement about the next generation of immunotherapies, including T-cell engagers like Tarlatamab. These treatments go beyond simply boosting the immune system—they actually reprogram it to recognize and attack tumors more effectively. As research progresses, scientists are working to refine these approaches to improve treatment outcomes and expand the number of patients who can benefit from immunotherapy. Ultimately, this discussion highlights the tremendous progress immunotherapy has made in the treatment of lung cancer. While not every patient is a candidate, it has provided many with significantly improved survival rates, and in some cases, long-term remission. Ongoing research is expected to lead to even more breakthroughs, making immunotherapy a continually evolving and promising area of lung cancer treatment.