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Immunotherapy-Chemo Combo Extends Survival for Aggressive Lung Cancer
9 Aug
Summary
- New treatment cuts lung cancer death risk by 27%
- Median survival time increased from 10.6 to 13.2 months
- Therapy combines immunotherapy and chemotherapy drugs
According to a study published in The Lancet on August 9, 2025, a new treatment approach for an aggressive type of lung cancer can cut the risk of death from the disease by 27%. The research, led by the Complutense University of Madrid, found that using the immunotherapy drug atezolizumab alongside a chemotherapy drug reduced the risk of "disease progression or death by 46 percent" for patients with small cell lung cancer.
This form of lung cancer, which accounts for about 15% of all lung cancer cases in the UK, is known for its particularly aggressive nature and poor prognosis. Typically, patients with small cell lung cancer have a median survival time of just 10.6 months. However, the new "maintenance treatment" combining the two existing drugs increased the median survival to 13.2 months.
While treatment options for small cell lung cancer have been severely limited, this new dual-drug therapy offers a glimmer of hope. Experts say it could provide patients with extra months of life, though the therapy is still undergoing review and approval processes in the US and Europe, and is not yet available in the UK.
