Prof. Dr. Çağatay Arslan from the Medical Oncology Clinic at İzmir University of Economics Medical Point Hospital provided insights into immunotherapy treatment for lung cancer. He explained, “The place of chemotherapy has now been taken over by targeted treatment methods, with immunotherapy being the most significant among them.”
Prof. Dr. Arslan highlighted that lung cancer is a stealthy disease often diagnosed at a late stage, with smoking as the primary cause. “For patients with a long history of heavy smoking, we can detect lung cancer early using low-dose tomography. Early diagnosis accounts for only 20% of cases, leading to positive treatment outcomes. However, for advanced-stage lung cancer not detected early, our treatment protocol changes. The focus now shifts from chemotherapy to targeted therapies, with immunotherapy at the forefront,” he explained.
‘ONE OF THE MOST RESEARCHED TOPICS IN THE LAST 50 YEARS’
Immunotherapy is a treatment that enables the immune system to combat cancer cells. “New immunotherapy methods are continually being developed for different types of cancer. Currently, nearly twenty cancer types can be treated with immunotherapy. With targeted therapies, including smart drugs and immunotherapy, we have been able to extend survival to five years, effectively treating cancer as a chronic disease like diabetes or hypertension. The foundation of immunotherapy techniques is built upon a vast scientific knowledge base accumulated over the last 50 years,” Arslan said.
‘DOES NOT DAMAGE HEALTHY CELLS’
Prof. Dr. Arslan emphasized that immunotherapy does not cause side effects such as hair loss, nausea, or vomiting. “Immunotherapy creates a cancer memory in the immune system, which can prevent recurrence. It can also be used alongside other cancer treatments. While chemotherapy and radiotherapy can harm healthy cells, immunotherapy spares them from significant damage. In our Clinical Research Center, we effectively use approved and licensed immunotherapy drugs for lung and other cancers, experiencing positive patient responses simultaneously with the rest of the world,” he concluded.