Lung cancer is a major cause of all cancer-related deaths, with surgical options being a common form of treatment. Researchers are continually seeking ways to improve survival rates for post-surgery patients. A recent study published in The New England Journal of Medicine found that using immunotherapy both before and after surgery can lead to improved survival rates compared to only receiving chemotherapy before surgery. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common type of lung cancer, often caused by smoking. Surgical interventions, such as removing parts of the lung, may be necessary to remove cancerous cells, followed by chemotherapy or radiation to prevent the cancer from returning.
Immunotherapy is a targeted therapy used to destroy cancer cells and prevent their growth. The study focused on the use of the immunotherapy drug nivolumab in people with operable non-small cell lung cancer who had not received previous systemic anticancer treatment. Participants who received nivolumab and chemotherapy before surgery, followed by nivolumab after surgery, were more likely to be cancer-free 18 months later. This group also experienced a higher rate of pathological complete response, indicating the effectiveness of nivolumab in improving event-free survival in NSCLC patients. The study, known as the CheckMate 77T trial, included 461 participants who underwent surgery within six weeks of pre-surgical interventions.
In the study, the group that received nivolumab had superior outcomes in terms of event-free survival compared to the chemotherapy group. The nivolumab group had a 70.2% event-free survival rate at 18 months, while the chemotherapy group had a 50% rate. Additionally, a quarter of the nivolumab group experienced a pathological complete response, demonstrating the benefits of combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy in the treatment of NSCLC. Despite similar numbers of adverse events in both groups, the nivolumab group had a higher rate of treatment discontinuation due to adverse events.
The study provides hope for improving survival rates for those with resectable non-small cell lung cancer. The results show that using nivolumab in combination with chemotherapy before and after surgery can extend event-free survival and increase the pathological response without any unexpected safety signals. The promising implications of the study have the potential to change the standard of care for stage II and III resectable lung cancer patients in the near future. However, the study has limitations, such as its focus on a specific cancer type and underrepresentation of certain demographic groups, highlighting the need for further research to confirm the findings and ensure inclusivity in future studies.
Overall, the study demonstrates the potential benefits of perioperative immunotherapy in improving survival rates for patients with non-small cell lung cancer. By combining nivolumab with chemotherapy before and after surgery, researchers were able to achieve significant improvements in event-free survival and pathological response rates. These findings offer hope for patients with this deadly form of cancer and may lead to changes in treatment practices in the near future.
