Key Statistics

Global incidence: Approximately 2.2 million new cases and 1.8 million deaths in 2022.

U.S. incidence (2025 estimate): About 234,580 new cases and 125,070 deaths.

Risk: Lung cancer accounts for nearly 1 in 5 cancer deaths worldwide.

Immunology and Lung Cancer

Lung cancer has been a major focus in the development and success of cancer immunotherapy. In particular, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has shown a strong response to immune-based treatments, especially those that target specific immune signals, like PD-1 and PD-L1.

These signals act as checkpoints that help keep immune responses in check. Cancer cells often exploit them to hide from immune attack. Drugs known as checkpoint inhibitors block these proteins, freeing the immune system to recognize and destroy tumor cells.

Key approved checkpoint inhibitors for lung cancer:

• Pembrolizumab (Keytruda): This drug blocks the checkpoint signal PD-1. It is often used as a first-line treatment in advanced NSCLC, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy.
• Nivolumab (Opdivo): This drug blocks the checkpoint signal PD-1. It is approved for treating both NSCLC and small cell lung cancer (SCLC).
• Atezolizumab (Tecentriq): This drug blocks the checkpoint signal PD-L1 and is used in advanced NSCLC and SCLC.

In some patients whose cancer have a high level of the immune signal PD-L1, checkpoint inhibitors alone can be as effective—or more effective—than chemotherapy, offering fewer side effects and longer-lasting responses.

What’s next for lung cancer?

Immunology research continues to expand the possibilities for treating lung cancer more effectively. Current areas of focus include:

• Combination therapies: Pairing checkpoint inhibitors with targeted therapies, chemotherapy, or anti-angiogenic drugs to improve outcomes.
• Cancer vaccines: Developing personalized vaccines to boost immune recognition of lung cancer–specific antigens.
• Bispecific antibodies: Engineered molecules that bring immune cells directly to cancer cells to trigger targeted attack.
• Cell therapies: Clinical trials are testing CAR T cells and other adoptive cell therapies for lung cancer, though more work is needed to overcome the challenges of treating solid tumors.
• Biomarker discovery: Research is ongoing to identify who will benefit most from immunotherapy and how to avoid resistance.

By identifying which tumors are likely to respond to immunotherapy—and designing treatments that enhance those responses—immunology is helping tailor more effective options for lung cancer patients.