Immunotherapy Brings New Hope to Lung Cancer Treatment: Significant Improvements in Quality of Life and Disease-Free Survival Rates

Immunotherapy has been shown to significantly improve the quality of life for individuals with non-small cell lung cancer, reducing the risk of disease recurrence or death by 34%. This information was shared during a scientific seminar titled “Immunotherapy – Lighting up hope of cure in early-stage lung cancer treatment” on April 13. The program brought together 150 leading oncology experts from Vietnam and abroad to exchange knowledge, experiences, and advanced treatment methods for lung cancer.

Prof. Dr. Le Van Quang, Director of Hospital K, emphasized that recurrence after treatment is a significant issue faced by patients with non-small cell lung cancer, despite early diagnosis and treatment. Immunotherapy has shown promising results in reducing recurrence rates and is considered one of the methods in multimodality treatment for these patients.

Lung cancer is a malignant disease characterized by abnormal changes in alveolar and bronchial epithelial cells. According to Globocan 2022, lung cancer ranks among the top three cancers with high incidence and mortality rates, alongside liver and breast cancer. It is divided into two main types: small cell lung cancer, accounting for 15%, and non-small cell lung cancer, accounting for 85%. Nearly 30% of patients are diagnosed with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer, and curative treatment involves tumor resection surgery and adjuvant chemotherapy. However, even with standard therapy, relapse rates remain high.

The introduction of immunotherapy has provided hope for lung cancer patients, with studies showing significant improvements in disease-free survival rates. The Lancet study revealed that immunotherapy reduces the risk of disease recurrence or death by 34% in individuals with non-small cell lung cancer, rising to 57% for those with a high rate of PD-L1 receptor expression.

Recently, Vietnam approved the use of immunotherapy after surgery and chemotherapy for early-stage non-small cell lung cancer patients in June 2023. This approval marks a significant step forward in providing advanced treatment options for lung cancer patients in Vietnam. Oncologists shared their experiences treating non-small cell lung cancer patients with immunotherapy during the conference held on April 13th at Hotel K