IMMUNOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF LUNG CANCER: ANALYSIS OF NEW APPROACHES AND THEIR EFFICACY

Abstract

This article aimed to analyze the efficacy of immunotherapy in the treatment of lung cancer, highlighting new approaches and their clinical implications. The methodology employed consisted of an integrative literature review, with the selection of articles published in the last five years, available in the Virtual Health Library, ScienceDirect and PubMed databases. The main results indicated that immunotherapy not only provides significant improvements in survival rates compared to conventional chemotherapy, but also offers durable responses, even in advanced stages of the disease. Studies included in the review showed that patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) had a higher objective response rate and a longer duration of response compared to those who received chemotherapy. Furthermore, the analysis revealed that the efficacy of immunotherapy can be potentiated in specific subgroups of patients, such as those with high PD-L1 expression and favorable genetic mutations. The conclusions suggest that the choice between immunotherapy and chemotherapy should be individualized, considering the genetic profile of the tumor and the characteristics of the patient. Furthermore, the research highlights the need for further studies to explore the personalization of treatment and the identification of new biomarkers, aiming to optimize the results and quality of life of patients during treatment.