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<h4><span style="color: #00826e;"><span style="color: #00826a;">Lung Cancer Can Be Survived, There Is a Chance of Cure with Immunotherapy</span><strong><br />
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<p>Lung cancer is considered one of the deadly diseases that claim many lives each year. Nowadays, the risk group for lung cancer is not limited to smokers only, because regardless of gender or age, everyone is at risk of developing lung cancer due to conditions and air pollution such as PM 2.5 dust, as well as inhaling chemicals and vapors commonly found in many industrial workplaces.</p>
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<h4><span style="color: #00826e;"><span style="color: #00826a;">What to do when diagnosed with lung cancer?</span><strong><br />
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<p>Those diagnosed with advanced-stage lung cancer often feel discouraged and hopeless, thinking there is no cure. However, in reality, with current medical advancements, there are new treatment options proven to better control the disease, allowing patients to live longer for several more years or even increasing the chance of curing lung cancer. This is called Immunotherapy or treatment with immunotherapy drugs.</p>
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<h4><span style="color: #00826a;">What is immunotherapy used to treat lung cancer?</span></h4>
<p><strong><span style="color: #00826e;">Immunotherapy or immunotherapy drugs are a new cancer treatment method that has been widely discussed over the past decade.</span><br />
</strong>It is a treatment based on the principle of <span style="color: #00826e;"><strong>“stimulating the patient’s immune system to help directly control their own cancer.”</strong></span> Originally, our immune system’s role is to kill pathogens and prevent foreign substances from entering the body. Cancer is a type of foreign substance that is a tumor growing abnormally in the body, but it tricks our immune system into thinking it is normal cells and gradually grows.</p>
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<p>Therefore, through this immune mechanism, research has found ways to strengthen our immune system to recognize cancer cells. Immunotherapy drugs stimulate the patient’s immune system to become smarter and stronger, like arming the immune system to find and kill cancer cells, thus better controlling the disease and reducing cancer progression. It has been found that about 5-10% of patients respond to immunotherapy treatment to the extent that the advanced cancer cells disappear. Besides lung cancer, immunotherapy can also be used to treat other cancers such as liver cancer, thyroid cancer, melanoma (skin cancer), kidney cancer, colorectal cancer, etc.</p>
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<h4><span style="color: #00826a;">What are the benefits of immunotherapy?</span></h4>
<p><span style="color: #00826e;"><strong>When used to treat lung cancer<br />
</strong></span>The advantages of using immunotherapy to treat lung cancer are:</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">It is an effective treatment process for advanced cancer with very few side effects compared to other treatment options such as targeted therapy, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Immunotherapy can be used alongside other treatments, which increases treatment effectiveness, for example, using immunotherapy together with chemotherapy from the start.</li>
</ul>
<p>However, although side effects from immunotherapy are rare, they can still occur, with only a 1-3% chance of side effects. The side effects are generally less severe compared to radiation or chemotherapy, such as causing pneumonia. The treatment for side effects is not complicated and can be easily managed by stopping immunotherapy and administering steroids to suppress the immune system, after which the patient’s symptoms will gradually improve.</p>
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<h4><span style="color: #00826a;">Lung cancer treatment with immunotherapy</span></h4>
<p><span style="color: #00826e;"><strong>What are the guidelines and steps for treatment?<br />
</strong></span>Currently, lung cancer treatment, as well as other cancers, is not just about using drugs alone. Doctors will consider the diagnosis to determine <span style="color: #00826e;"><strong>“which treatment is most suitable for each patient.”</strong></span> This can be done by <strong><span style="color: #00826e;">“taking a tissue biopsy or blood sample for genetic cancer testing (Precision Cancer Medicine).”</span></strong> This helps identify the most appropriate treatment, whether targeted therapy, chemotherapy, radiation, or immunotherapy.</p>
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<p>Both blood tests and tissue biopsies to find the most suitable treatment method can be done in Thailand, taking only 1-2 weeks for patients to clearly know their treatment plan. If the biopsy shows that immunotherapy is suitable, the treatment steps are as follows:</p>
<ol>
<li aria-level="1">The patient receives immunotherapy similar to receiving an intravenous drip.</li>
<li aria-level="1">The treatment is given every 2-3 weeks, each session lasting about 1 hour, without the need for anti-allergy or anti-nausea drugs due to very few side effects.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Generally, lung cancer patients receive immunotherapy continuously for about 2 years, after which the medication can be stopped because the disease is effectively controlled.</li>
<li aria-level="1">After 2 years, even if the medication is stopped, doctors will still schedule regular check-ups because advanced lung cancer, although well controlled, can recur. If new symptoms appear, such as new lumps, enlargement of existing lumps, or increased number of lumps, treatment with immunotherapy will be resumed.</li>
<li aria-level="1">Patients who respond well to immunotherapy have a chance to be completely cured of lung cancer, not just controlling disease progression but eliminating all cancer cells.</li>
</ol>
<h4><span style="color: #00826a;">How to take care of yourself?</span></h4>
<p><span style="color: #00826e;"><strong>When using immunotherapy to treat lung cancer<br />
</strong></span>The self-care guidelines for lung cancer patients after receiving immunotherapy are not particularly restrictive because the drug has few side effects. However, there are important guidelines to improve treatment effectiveness, which patients should follow:</p>
<ul>
<li aria-level="1">Get enough rest</li>
<li aria-level="1">Eat a balanced diet with all five food groups</li>
<li aria-level="1">Maintain a cheerful and positive mindset</li>
</ul>
<p>These factors help stimulate the immune system to become stronger. Conversely, if the immune system is weakened due to poor self-care, treatment effectiveness will decrease, meaning immunotherapy may not work as intended.</p>
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<h4><span style="color: #00826a;">How to take care of yourself?</span></h4>
<p><span style="color: #00826e;"><strong>To be as safe as possible from lung cancer<br />
</strong></span>Lung cancer is a silent and frightening threat because it has no clear warning symptoms. Most patients come with chronic cough or sometimes shortness of breath due to pleural effusion. However, these symptoms are not specific to lung cancer, so without X-rays or CT scans, it is impossible to know if it is lung cancer. This can lead to advanced disease that is difficult to treat. Therefore, regular annual health check-ups, especially for high-risk groups such as smokers, those exposed to secondhand smoke frequently, or living in highly polluted environments with high PM 2.5 levels, are crucial for screening. Early detection of lung cancer at an early stage allows for curative surgery.</p>
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<p><span style="color: #00826e;"><strong>Immunotherapy represents a complete shift in the role of lung cancer treatment compared to the past.</strong></span> Previously, patients diagnosed with advanced lung cancer often gave up hope, thinking there was no cure. But today, immunotherapy and other treatments like targeted therapy are effective methods to control the disease, extend patients’ lives, and may even cure the disease.</p>
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<p>Therefore, even if diagnosed with advanced lung cancer today, do not lose hope. You can still consult doctors to find the best treatment options. Each person’s body is different, and responses to drugs or treatments vary. Everyone should have hope and create opportunities for recovery by regularly seeing specialized doctors.</p>
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<p style="text-align: right;"><span style="color: #00826a;"><strong>Dr. Winai Paul</strong></span><br />
Specialist in Medical Oncology<br />
Meesuk Center (Cancer and Blood Diseases)<br />
Phyathai 3 Hospital</p>


A new option for lung cancer treatment is the use of immunotherapy, which can effectively control the disease and offers a chance for a complete cure. This depends on the individual patient's response to the treatment.

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Lung cancer can be survived and has a chance of recovery with immunotherapy medication.

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