Breakthrough Therapies are Reshaping Lung Cancer Care

Breakthrough Therapies are Reshaping Lung Cancer Care

Receiving a lung cancer diagnosis can be overwhelming, and you may have questions about your options and what comes next. Fortunately, there is growing hope as exciting new advances in lung cancer treatment are opening the door to better outcomes and brighter futures.

“The treatment landscape for lung cancer is evolving rapidly,” said Dr. Andrew Li, medical oncologist with Maryland Oncology Hematology. “Today, we have more tools than ever before to personalize care, target tumors more effectively, and help patients achieve better outcomes. These advances are giving patients renewed hope and expanding what is possible after a lung cancer diagnosis.”

Immunotherapy Treatments Help Immune System Target Lung Cancer Cells

Immunotherapy drugs leverage your existing immune system to fight your lung cancer. These treatments can either boost your immune system or change the way it works to target lung cancer cells.

Cancer cells can hide from your immune system, causing your natural defense system to remain inactive. Well-known immunotherapy drugs include KEYTRUDA® and OPDIVO®, both of which work by activating your immune system so it can recognize and identify cancer cells that are hiding. In recent years, these drugs have been approved to treat several types of lung cancer; your physician can help you determine whether immunotherapy treatments are right for you.

Targeted Therapies Reach Cancer Cells While Limiting Exposure To Healthy Cells

Targeted therapies, sometimes called precision medicine, use drugs to precisely target certain types of cancer cells while limiting exposure to healthy, normal cells. Targeted therapy can be used by itself, or in combination with other treatments like traditional chemotherapy. These therapies work by differentiating between cancer cells and normal cells to block cancer cells from dividing and creating new cells. Targeted therapy treatments are sometimes better tolerated than traditional chemotherapy and can even come in pill form.

Bispecific Therapies: Targeting Cancer from Two Angles

Bispecific therapies are considered highly promising for lung cancer treatment because they offer a unique ability to target two different pathways at once, improving treatment effectiveness and helping overcome resistance to traditional therapies. These therapies work by linking immune cells to cancer cells, helping your body’s natural defenses find and attack the tumor more accurately, making treatment more effective and lowering the chance of the cancer coming back. An example is IMDELLTRA® approved in small cell lung cancer.

Tumor Treating Fields

Lung cancer treatments are no longer limited to drugs. Optune Lua® works via tumor treating fields generated by electrical arrays placed on the patient’s body connect to a portable battery pack. The tumor treating fields disrupt cancer cell growth and division and are used in conjunction with chemotherapy to treat non-small cell lung cancer.

Clinical Trials Study New and Effective Ways to Treat Lung Cancer

Lung cancer research is constantly evolving. Clinical trials can provide patients with the opportunity for a better outcome and quality of life while playing a vital role in the development of treatments for lung cancer. Maryland Oncology Hematology participates in clinical trials through Sarah Cannon Research Institute (SCRI), one of the world’s leading oncology research organizations. It has conducted 850+ first-in-human clinical trials since its inception and contributed to pivotal research that has led to the majority of new cancer therapies approved by the FDA in the past decade.

“These are clinical studies that are typically available in major hospital systems in large cities, but Maryland Oncology Hematology is able to offer them right here in Maryland, as well as in collaboration with George Washington University Hematology and Oncology which recently joined Maryland Oncology Hematology. ” said Dr. Li. “These are leading-edge treatments we’re able to offer close to home, where the patient can have the support of their family and friends. If we do not have a trial that the patient qualifies for, we collaborate with our colleagues at these major institutions locally and nationwide to find the best option for the patient.”

Learn more about our clinical trials. Clinical Trials for Cancer – Maryland Oncology Hematology

The lung cancer specialists at Maryland Oncology Hematology work with you to create the optimal treatment plan for your lung cancer. For more information about these new advancements in lung cancer treatments, please visit https://marylandoncology.com/clinical-trials/