Immunotherapy includes several molecules, some of which can be combined, and the treatment boosts the immune system to attack cancer cells.
382,000 new cases of cancer were detected in France in 2018 according to the national cancer institute. Scientific research is accumulating on the disease and treatment options are evolving, with techniques such as immunotherapy.
A to analyse carried out by the Institut Curie shows that this method has lasting results for 25% of patients.
Boost the immune system
Immunotherapy involves stimulating the immune system to attack cancer cells. In this study, published in JCO Precision Oncology, the researchers compiled and analyzed the results of 19 international studies conducted on 11,640 patients. Between 12 and 39% of people treated with immunotherapy have a lasting response to treatment, an average of a quarter.
Scientists speak of a durable response when the cancer progression-free survival time is too much longer than the median cancer progression-free survival time for all patients. In the case of treatments with chemotherapy or targeted therapy, the durable response rate is 11%.
The researchers also found that 30% of patients treated with immunotherapy had a survival time twice as long as the average, while for other treatments, this rate is 23%.
A study of all types of cancer
One of the other lessons learned from this research concerns the efficacy of immunotherapy according to the stage of the cancer: the earlier the treatment is given, the greater the probability of having a prolonged response. For the researchers, this confirms the interest of prescribing these drugs at the early stages of the disease.
These results would be valid regardless of the type of cancer. These promising results may not be the only ones, research continues around the world. AT At the Institut Curie, the first immunotherapy center created in France, 30 clinical trials on this technique are underway.
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