Dr. Lilenbaum on Future Directions With Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer

Rogerio C. Lilenbaum, MD, director, Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center, discusses the promising future direction of immunotherapy in patients with advanced lung cancer.

It’s clear that the introduction of immunotherapy in the field of oncology has revolutionized the treatment of patients with solid tumors, as well as some with hematologic malignancies. Notably, it has demonstrated utility in a much greater percentage of patients when compared with targeted therapy, Lilenbaum explains.

What Lilenbaum finds audacious, but also inspiring, is that the rise of immunotherapy has allowed oncologists in the melenoma space to begin discussing potential cures for patients in all disease stages. Thoracic oncologists must be extremely cautious; however, there has been encouraging results of disease-free patients several years after receiving immunotherapy.

As thoracic oncologists continue to study many treatment regimens, there is hope that, with time, there will be a cure for patients with advanced lung cancer, Lilenbaum concludes.