Dr. Brahmer on the Benefit of Immunotherapy in Metastatic NSCLC

Julie R. Brahmer, MD, associate professor of oncology, co-director of the Upper Aerodigestive Department, Bloomberg Kimmel Institute for Cancer Immunotherapy, Johns Hopkins Medicine, discusses the benefit of immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with metastatic non—small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Adding immunotherapy to chemotherapy increases the likelihood of response, says Brahmer. This is especially useful in symptomatic patients who need to have their burden of disease lessened. This also results in improvements in patient-reported outcomes, notes Brahmer. Additionally, the addition of immunotherapy does not introduce a substantial amount of new toxicities, unlike the addition of a VEGF inhibitor like bevacizumab (Avastin) to standard chemotherapy.

Patient-reported outcomes are an important aspect of care that physicians should be aware of. Brahmer explains that patients who do well on immunotherapy in the months to years after receiving it, do tend to do better overall. Survivorship is as important in the metastatic setting as it is in earlier stage settings.