When is immunotherapy recommended for non-small cell lung cancer?

For NSCLC, immunotherapy can be considered before or after surgery in selected situations, with chemotherapy or another medicine for some advanced cancers, or on its own when particular tumour features support that approach. Testing the tumour may include biomarkers that help estimate whether an immune treatment is a reasonable option.

Your oncologist also reviews lung function, other illnesses, autoimmune conditions, transplant history, and medicines such as steroids. These details matter because immune treatment can cause inflammation in the lungs, bowel, liver, skin, hormone glands, or other organs.

Bring your pathology and scan information to the treatment discussion and ask whether molecular testing is complete. Give the team a full medicine list and describe prior radiotherapy, chemotherapy, or immune problems. During treatment, keep a record of new cough, breathlessness, diarrhoea, rash, fever, or unusual fatigue rather than waiting for symptoms to become severe.

Call promptly about new or worsening breathlessness, chest pain, persistent diarrhoea, yellowing of the eyes, severe headache, weakness, confusion, or a spreading rash. Go to emergency care for severe breathing difficulty, fainting, sudden confusion, or facial or throat swelling. These problems may have causes unrelated to treatment, but rapid assessment is needed.

What do my stage and tumour tests show? Is immunotherapy intended before surgery, after surgery, with chemotherapy, or for advanced disease? What benefit are we seeking? Which side effects need a same-day call, and how will scans and blood tests guide the next dose?