A new study shows that the immunotherapy drug, when combined with chemotherapy, also prolongs survival in patients with advanced lung cancer. The report was one of several highly anticipated studies on immunotherapy and lung cancer presented Monday at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Chicago. Most patients diagnosed with advanced lung cancer — disease that has spread beyond its original site — initially receive chemotherapy, which provides only marginal benefit. Drew Pardoll, director of Hopkins’ Bloomberg-Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, said that it is too early to know whether the findings will translate into longer survival. Read more:Immunotherapy moves to the front lines in fight against lung cancerNew cancer treatments have perplexing side effectsThe cancer death rate has dropped again.

Source: Washington Post April 16, 2018 13:31 UTC