Lung Cancer Treatment for Non-Small Cell Variety: Identified Types and Potential Adverse Reactions
Immunotherapy and Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer: A New Hope
In the fight against Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC), a significant development has emerged: the use of immunotherapy drugs. These treatments help the immune system find and destroy cancer cells more effectively.
The main types of immunotherapy drugs used in NSCLC treatment are immune checkpoint inhibitors, specifically PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Notable examples include pembrolizumab and atezolizumab, which block proteins that cancer cells use to evade immune detection, thus enabling the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Pembrolizumab is approved for various NSCLC stages, including advanced/metastatic and resectable early-stage disease, sometimes in combination with chemotherapy. This versatility makes it a crucial weapon in the arsenal against NSCLC.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors target molecules that regulate immune responses, helping to overcome cancer cells’ ability to hide or suppress the immune system. Other forms of immunotherapy under investigation or use include natural killer (NK) and natural killer T (NKT) cells derived from umbilical cord blood, which exhibit cytotoxic activity against cancer cells and can be combined with PD-1 inhibitors as a novel approach for NSCLC.
Chemotherapy, another common treatment for NSCLC, uses powerful chemicals to interfere with cancer cell growth or kill cancer cells. It is typically administered through an IV infusion or oral pill form. Potential side effects include hair loss, nausea and vomiting, infections, anemia, bruising and bleeding, appetite changes, skin and nail changes, memory and concentration problems, sleep disturbances, fertility issues, constipation, diarrhea, mouth sores, fatigue, and more.
Radiation therapy, which uses high-energy rays to kill cancer cells, may cause similar side effects, such as fatigue, nausea and vomiting, skin issues, and hair loss.
New research has identified specific changes in NSCLC that allow for the development of targeted medications. These targeted therapies, such as tyrosine kinase inhibitors and mTOR inhibitors, focus on specific cancer mutations rather than modulating the immune system.
Angiogenesis inhibitors, which block the growth of new blood vessels, may help slow the growth of cancer cells. Examples include bevacizumab and ramucirumab. However, potential side effects include bleeding, clots in the arteries, high blood pressure, impaired wound healing, a certain brain disorder, gastrointestinal perforation and fistulas (rare).
Targeted gene therapy, which focuses on mutated genes to stop and kill cancer cells, is another promising area of research. Discussed genes include KRAS, EGFR, ALK, ROS1, BRAF, RET, MET, and HER2. Potential side effects may include nausea, diarrhea, high blood pressure, fatigue, skin rashes, loss of appetite, constipation, mouth sores, and vision changes.
The outlook for someone with NSCLC depends on the number, size, staging, and locations of the tumors, as well as any other health problems or risk factors. Treatment may effectively remove cancer cells in some people, allowing them to live typical, healthy lives.
A chemotherapy cycle may last around 3-4 weeks, and people may complete four to six cycles over the course of treatment. Potential side effects of immunotherapy include diarrhea, constipation, joint pain, loss of appetite, nausea, itching and soreness, fatigue, cough or congestion, skin rash, body pains and swelling, swelling or weight gain, infection, organ inflammation, flu-like symptoms, and more.
In summary, immune checkpoint inhibitors (PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors) like pembrolizumab and atezolizumab represent the primary immunotherapy drugs used in NSCLC treatment, sometimes combined with chemotherapy or novel immune cell therapies under investigation. These treatments, along with radiation therapy, targeted therapies, and angiogenesis inhibitors, offer hope for those battling NSCLC.
- A newly diagnosed patient with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) may undergo chemotherapy as a treatment, which involves using powerful chemicals that interfere with cancer cell growth or kill cancer cells.
- In science, researchers are investigating the use of natural killer (NK) and natural killer T (NKT) cells derived from umbilical cord blood, aiming to combine them with PD-1 inhibitors as a novel approach for NSCLC treatment.
- In the realm of health-and-wellness therapies and treatments, immunotherapy drugs, such as pembrolizumab and atezolizumab, help the immune system find and destroy cancer cells more effectively by blocking proteins cancer cells use to evade detection.
- Targeted gene therapy, a promising area of research, focuses on mutated genes like KRAS, EGFR, and BRAF to stop and kill cancer cells, offering another potential treatment for NSCLC.
- The advent of immunotherapy and the introduction of immune checkpoint inhibitors have brought new hope in the fight against NSCLC, with therapies and treatments such as chemotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapies, and angiogenesis inhibitors also being employed.
