Immune Response to Immunotherapy in Lung Cancer: Study of Sputum and Blood Samples

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, with nearly 2.48 million cases and 1.8 million deaths in 2022. Despite therapeutic progress, late diagnosis and high mortality make it a major public health issue. Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) such as nivolumab, pembrolizumab, and atezolizumab have improved outcomes for some patients, but only a small proportion benefit, and side effects can be severe. Research is focusing on combining ICIs with chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or other immunotherapies, but reliable biomarkers to predict responders are still lacking. The tumor microenvironment, which promotes resistance, is a promising therapeutic target. The RICEPS study (2021-2023) found specific immune cells and cytokines linked to treatment response, and the ongoing RICEPS-2 trial aims to confirm these findings in a larger group to better understand immune dynamics in lung cancer under ICI therapy.