Immunotherapy is one of the key modern areas of oncology, changing the approach to treating many types of malignant tumors, including lung cancer. Its goal is to activate the patient's immune system so that it can effectively recognize and destroy tumor cells.
Malignant cells can evade immune surveillance by using certain molecular mechanisms. One of the main ones is the activation of so-called immune “checkpoints” (PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA-4), which suppress the activity of T lymphocytes.
Checkpoint inhibitor drugs (for example, pembrolizumab, nivolumab, atezolizumab) block these signals and restore the ability of immune cells to attack the tumor.
Immunotherapy is used mainly for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and less often for small cell lung cancer. The indications are determined based on:
🔹 Immunohistochemical testing of the tumor (PD-L1 expression level).
🔹 Genetic tests (to rule out EGFR, ALK and ROS1 mutations, for which targeted drugs are more effective).
🔹 The stage of the disease, the patient's general condition and any comorbidities.
Immunotherapy may be prescribed:
🔸 as first-line treatment — alone or in combination with chemotherapy;
🔸 in the second and subsequent lines — when previous treatments have not worked.
Long-term disease control — in some patients, the antitumor effect persists even after the course of treatment is completed. It can be combined with other treatments, which increases effectiveness. Immunotherapy has become an important part of lung cancer treatment, especially when conventional methods give limited results. It does not fully replace chemotherapy or radiation therapy, but it can significantly increase the effectiveness of combined treatment and improve patients' quality and length of life.
It is important not to delay the start of treatment. Consultations with an oncologist and the modern diagnostic methods available at our center make it possible to choose the best treatment plan for each patient.
Remember: the earlier the disease is detected, the more effective the treatment will be 💙