July 2021 – Immunotherapy

Christie Bevington shares her story of how immunotherapy was the only treatment that helped stop her cancer progression and relieve her back pain caused by lung cancer.

Tim Dorius, MD, explains the role of molecular profiling in relation to immunotherapy, and how oncologists can now look at the genetic makeup of a tumor to identify specific mutations or other biomarkers.

Michael Morigi shares his very positive experience with immunotherapy in the treatment of his stage III bladder cancer.

Immunotherapy is showing good results in patients with advanced skin cancer, one of the most common types of cancer diagnosed in the United States.

Two experts discuss the advances made in lung cancer with the introduction of new immunotherapies, which have extended life for patients, and why testing for biomarkers is crucial.

In April 2021, the FDA approved Jemperli (dostarlimab-gxly) for patients with recurrent or advanced endometrial cancer and the biomarker mismatch repair-deficient. This is the first immunotherapy approved for patients with this type of cancer.

In April 2021, the FDA approved Opdivo (nivolumab), for use with chemotherapy, as first-line treatment for patients with advanced or metastatic gastric cancer, including gastroesophageal junction cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma.

In May 2021, the FDA approved Keytruda (pembrolizumab), plus Herceptin and chemotherapy, for first-line treatment of locally advanced unresectable or metastatic, HER2-positive gastric or gastroesophageal junction adenocarcinoma. Keytruda is the second immunotherapy approved for gastric cancer.