Immunotherapy for lung cancer

Immunotherapy and targeted therapy drugs are used to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) that has spread outside the lung or to other parts of the body.

They are not commonly used for small-cell lung cancer (SCLC). Sometimes a combination of immunotherapy and chemotherapy for SCLC may be given.

Immunotherapy drugs use the immune system to find and attack cancer cells. They include the following:

These drugs target and block a protein (receptor) called PD-1 on the surface of T cells, which are part of the immune system. They also block another protein called PD-L1. By blocking PD-1 or PD-L1, these drugs help the immune system to find and attack the cancer cells.

For some drugs you may need tests on the cancer cells to check the levels of PD-L1. The results can tell your doctor how likely a drug is to be helpful.

But these drugs can still work for you even if results don’t show high levels of PD-L1. 

Your doctor or nurse will tell you about the side effects of the immunotherapy drug you are having. They will tell you how side effects can be treated and what you can do to manage them.

Immunotherapy drugs can sometimes make the immune system attack other parts of the body. This is not common, but it can cause serious side effects in:

• the lungs
• other organs, such as the liver or bowel
• glands that make certain hormones.

Sometimes the treatment may need to be stopped. You may need to take steroids for a short while to suppress your immune system.

Rarely, these side effects can happen up to 2 years after the treatment has stopped. These are called late effects. If you think you have any of these side effects, contact your cancer doctor or nurse straight away.

Your doctor or nurse will explain all these side effects to you. Always tell them about any side effects you have.

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