How to achieve precise treatment for lung cancer? Which lung cancer patients are targeted for targeted therapy?

Lung cancer is a common respiratory disease. In recent years, it is one of the malignant tumors with the fastest growing incidence and mortality, and it poses the greatest threat to people's health and life. Most patients have no obvious symptoms in the early stages. When it develops to the late stage, they often seek medical treatment for reasons such as chest tightness, chest pain, repeated hemoptysis, hoarseness, and worsening cough. The treatment of lung cancer requires comprehensive and individualized treatment based on the patient's specific situation, the pathological type of lung cancer, the scope of cancer cell invasion, and other factors. Regarding issues related to lung cancer treatment, Zhou Chengzhi, chief physician of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, will now provide us with a popularization.

How to achieve precise treatment for lung cancer?

For lung cancer, targeted therapy through driver genes can achieve precision, but other chemotherapy, immunotherapy and anti-vascular treatments are not yet accurate. If ALK is available and can receive first-, second- and third-generation targeted therapy, the average median survival of patients can reach 7 to 8 years. For the more common FGFR, which accounts for 40% to 50% of adenocarcinoma, the median survival after comprehensive treatment is generally about 3 to 4 years.

How to prevent adverse reactions to lung cancer immunotherapy?

There is currently no specific method to prevent adverse reactions to immunotherapy. Immunotherapy is an external force, so adverse reactions may be mild or severe. Mild adverse reactions usually mean better efficacy, while severe adverse reactions are characterized by suddenness and reversibility. Therefore, when adverse immune reactions occur, early diagnosis and treatment, graded treatment, and timely delivery of patients to the hospital are very important.

Which types of lung cancer patients are targeted for targeted therapy?

Targeted therapy is mainly aimed at people with clear driver gene mutations. There are two types of driver gene changes: 1. Driver gene mutations, including point mutations, insertion mutations, and deletion mutations; 2. Fusion gene gene changes, such as ALK and ROS1 fusion genes, and cMET amplification. Currently, the most targeted are mutations and fusions, and some amplifications with high copy numbers can also be used as targeted genes to achieve good therapeutic effects.

Do lung cancer patients need to take targeted drugs for life?

Lung cancer patients need to take targeted drugs for life. According to current medical practice, patients are advised to take drugs for life. If the drugs are ineffective after long-term use, it is necessary to find other drug-resistant targets and use the corresponding drugs. Some patients also take the method of alternating drug withdrawal, but there is currently insufficient evidence for this method and it needs to be confirmed by rigorous evidence-based medical research. Therefore, whether targeted drugs can be discontinued is a direction worth studying in the future. At present, the conventional recommendation is long-term use of drugs.

In daily life, lung cancer patients should take the initiative to quit smoking, avoid inhaling secondhand smoke, and develop good living habits. Patients who need to receive chemotherapy after surgery should pay more attention to oral hygiene. Patients receiving radiotherapy should wear clean, loose, and soft clothes in daily life to keep their skin clean and dry.