The Pat Kenny Show Highlights Groundbreaking Cancer Treatement
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Jun 4, 2025 Patrick Forde, a consultant medical oncologist and Prendergast Chair in Immuno-Oncology at Trinity College Dublin, shares groundbreaking findings on lung cancer treatment. He discusses the promising results of immunotherapy administered before surgery, revealing most patients had no residual cancer afterward. Forde contrasts this with traditional chemotherapy, highlighting immunotherapy's milder side effects. The conversation also touches on Ireland's pivotal role in cancer clinical trials and the importance of patient advocacy in advancing treatment options.
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Immunotherapy Revolutionizes Lung Cancer
- Immunotherapy before surgery improves survival in lung cancer patients.
- About half of patients showed no residual cancer after only two doses of immunotherapy at surgery time.
Initial Immunotherapy Trial Success
- Professor Patrick Forde started with 20 patients in a US clinical trial combining immunotherapy before lung cancer surgery.
- Half of these patients had no active cancer in removed tumors, sparking further phase three trials.
Pre-Surgery Immunotherapy Guidance
- For early-stage lung cancer, giving immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy before surgery improves outcomes.
- The tumor must still be surgically removed as scans can't confirm complete cancer elimination.