Summary
A new study shows adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy before lung cancer surgery significantly improves five-year survival rates in patients.
A groundbreaking study called CheckMate-816 has shown that adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy before lung cancer surgery can dramatically improve patients’ chances of long-term survival. This research, led by Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center and published in the New England Journal of Medicine, represents a major breakthrough in treating operable lung cancer.
The study followed 358 patients with stage 1B to 3A non-small cell lung cancer that could be removed through surgery. Half the patients received standard chemotherapy for three cycles before surgery, while the other half received the same chemotherapy plus an immunotherapy drug called nivolumab. After treatment, all patients had surgery to remove their tumors.
The results were remarkable. Among patients who received the combination treatment, 24% achieved complete remission, meaning doctors found no cancer cells remaining in their lungs or lymph nodes after surgery. This is significantly better than chemotherapy alone.
Most importantly, patients who had complete clearance of their cancer at surgery had an impressive 95% five-year survival rate. This means that 95 out of 100 patients who had no remaining cancer after the combination treatment were still alive five years later.
What makes this study particularly significant is that patients only needed three doses of immunotherapy before surgery, with no additional immunotherapy afterward. This approach is much simpler than other treatment plans that require ongoing immunotherapy for months or years.
The treatment has already been approved by the FDA and is now considered the standard of care for patients with operable lung cancer. This research gives patients and doctors confidence that the benefits of this treatment approach last for years, not just months.
The study represents hope for the many people diagnosed with early-stage lung cancer, showing that combining these treatments before surgery can lead to long-term survival and potentially even cure.
