Who can get immunotherapy for lung cancer?
ANSWER
Doctors thought for a long time that immunotherapy wouldn’t work for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and small-cell lung cancer (SCLC), the two most common types. But the past few years have seen several breakthroughs.
By the time most people with lung cancer are diagnosed, the disease is in an advanced stage. Options for treatment were once limited to surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Your doctor may suggest immunotherapy if other options haven’t worked or if your tumor has traces of certain proteins.
From: Types of Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer WebMD Medical Reference
Reviewed by Laura J. Martin on May 20, 2018
SOURCES:
National Cancer Institute: “Biological Therapies for Cancer,” “Cancer Vaccines,” “Immunotherapy,” “More Immunotherapy Options Approved for Lung Cancer,” “NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: Antigen,” “What is Cancer?”
American Cancer Society: “Immunotherapy: Disrupting the Cancer Treatment World,” “Immunotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.”
Lung Cancer Alliance: “Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer: A Patient Guide.”
Cancer Research Institute: “Cancer Immunotherapy: Lung Cancer.”
Cancer Support Community: “Frankly Speaking about Cancer: Treatments for Advanced and Metastatic Lung Cancer.”
National Comprehensive Cancer Network: “NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Lung Cancer.”
SOURCES:
National Cancer Institute: “Biological Therapies for Cancer,” “Cancer Vaccines,” “Immunotherapy,” “More Immunotherapy Options Approved for Lung Cancer,” “NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms: Antigen,” “What is Cancer?”
American Cancer Society: “Immunotherapy: Disrupting the Cancer Treatment World,” “Immunotherapy for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer.”
Lung Cancer Alliance: “Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer: A Patient Guide.”
Cancer Research Institute: “Cancer Immunotherapy: Lung Cancer.”
Cancer Support Community: “Frankly Speaking about Cancer: Treatments for Advanced and Metastatic Lung Cancer.”
National Comprehensive Cancer Network: “NCCN Guidelines for Patients: Lung Cancer.”
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