Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer
Immunotherapy for lung cancer is a type of treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight cancer cells. Normally, cancer cells go undetected by the immune system, multiplying and spreading without being identified by the body. Immunotherapy works by "unmasking" those cancer cells so the body can target and destroy them, and by strengthening the immune system to fight the cancer.
At CHRISTUS Health, our oncology team combines advanced immunotherapy options with compassionate, whole-person care. We guide you through every step, tailoring treatment to your unique needs and supporting your well-being throughout the process.
When is Immunotherapy Used for Lung Cancer?
Your doctors may recommend immunotherapy for lung cancer treatment at different times throughout your treatment plan. It's often considered:
- As first-line treatment when the cancer has spread beyond the lungs
- After chemotherapy if the cancer returns or progresses
- Combined with other treatments in advanced cases of lung cancer
- When surgery isn't recommended due to tumor location or overall health
- If cancer contains specific biomarkers that make it likely to respond to immunotherapy
Learn More about lung cancer treatments
Types of Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy comes in several different forms, depending on the type of cells being targeted and your body's response. Your health care team will collaborate to help decide on what medications will work best for you.
Common types of immunotherapy medications include:
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors: these drugs block proteins that stop the immune system from attacking cancer cells (e.g., PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors, CTLA-4 inhibitors)
- Monoclonal antibodies: lab-made proteins that help the immune system identify and fight cancer.
- Cancer vaccines and cellular therapies: Emerging treatments that train the immune system to recognize cancer cells
Side Effects
While commonly better tolerated better than chemotherapy, immunotherapy can still cause side effects. This is because the therapy strengthens your immune system, but in turn, this can also lead to it attacking healthy cells and other parts of your body.
Common side effects may include:
- Fatigue
- Flu-like symptoms
- Nausea and vomiting
- Thyroid or endocrinology disorders
- Loss of appetite
- Digestive system issues
- Increased risk of infection
- Mouth sores
- Inflammation of the lungs, liver, or other organs (rare but serious)
- Changes in blood counts
Eligibility for Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is not always recommended for lung cancer patients. Your oncology team will run advanced tests to determine whether immunotherapy is right for you.
Eligibility often depends on:
- Cancer type and stage
- Biomarker and genetic testing
- Overall health and prior treatments
- Presence of specific proteins, such as PD-L1
Immunotherapy Compared to Other Treatments
Unlike chemotherapy or radiation, which directly target and kill cancer cells, lung cancer immunotherapy empowers your body's immune system to do the work. This often means fewer side effects and may provide longer-lasting protection against cancer recurrence, although results vary for each person.
Compassionate Care at CHRISTUS Health
Choosing immunotherapy for lung cancer at CHRISTUS Health means receiving advanced care rooted in compassion. Your multidisciplinary oncology team will track your progress, manage side effects, and keep you as comfortable as possible. Healing goes beyond medical treatment, it’s about caring for your body, mind, and spirit with personalized plans and comprehensive support.
Frequently Asked Questions
While survival rate varies by cancer type, stage, and biomarkers, immunotherapy offers hope for longer-lasting control in many cases. Studies show that immunotherapy can have a five-year survival rate of about 23 percent compared to 15 percent with chemotherapy alone in patients. Talk to your oncology team about the expected success rate for your treatment.
Immunotherapy is most often used for advanced or metastatic lung cancer, which is typically stage III or IV. It can also be combined with chemotherapy as a first-line treatment for advanced disease and in some cases, used after surgery or when cancer returns.
Immunotherapy helps your immune system identify and attack cancer cells. Lung cancer cells often hide by using "checkpoint" proteins. Immunotherapy drugs block these checkpoints, allowing immune cells to detect and destroy cancer.
The main types include:
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors that blog PD-1, PD-L1, or CTLA-4 proteins
- Monoclonal antibodies that target cancer cells directly
- Cancer vaccines designed to trigger an immune response against tumor antigens
- Cell-based therapies like CAR-T, which modify your own immune cells to fight cancer