Understanding Immunotherapy for Lung Cancer

Learn more about lung cancer at http://www.YouAndLungCancer.org UPDATE: Watch the 2025 version of this animation here: https://youtu.be/PV_MkY62Dew This animation explains how immunotherapy works for lung cancer. Immunotherapy uses medicine to stimulate the body's immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. The immunotherapy drugs that are most often used to treat lung cancer are called "checkpoint inhibitors." On the surface of cancer cells there are proteins that “put the brakes” on the immune system. They serve as “checkpoints” that stop the immune system from launching an all-out assault on cancer. Checkpoint inhibitors work by “taking off the brakes” and giving the immune system free rein to release special cells called T cells that attack the cancer. Watch to learn about checkpoint proteins called PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA-4, considerations for combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy, as well as learn about possible side effects of immunotherapy for lung cancer. 0:00 Introduction 0:13 What is immunotherapy? 0:32 Immunotherapy is a kind of precision medicine 0:42 Your immune system and cancer 1:17 Types of lung cancer: NSCLC and SCLC 1:44 What are immunotherapy checkpoint inhibitors? 2:18 What immunotherapy drugs are used to treat lung cancer? 2:38 What are the limitations of immunotherapy for lung cancer? 3:06 What are the side effects of immunotherapy for lung cancer?