JAKARTA - Lung cancer is no longer synonymous with the elderly or heavy smokers. The latest medical trend shows a demographic shift where individuals aged 30 to 40 years old - including those who are non-smokers and have an active lifestyle - are beginning to be diagnosed with this disease.
Responding to the phenomenon, Dr. Tanujaa Rajasekaran, Senior Medical Oncology Consultant from Parkway Cancer Centre (PCC) Singapore, emphasized that immunotherapy is now the main choice to significantly increase the patient's survival chances in the productive age.
Unlike conventional treatment, immunotherapy works by:
"Awakening" the Immune System: Using the body's own immune system to train white blood cells to recognize and attack cancer cells specifically.
Personalized Therapy: Treatment is chosen based on the patient's health profile, so it is more effective and has a better tolerance rate by the body.
One of the challenges of patients aged 30-50 years is balancing the treatment period with work and family responsibilities. Immunotherapy offers a solution where:
Activities Still Going On: Patients tend to still be able to carry out normal activities and play a role in the family during the treatment period.
Measurable Recovery: Signs of improvement usually begin to appear in 6-8 weeks, characterized by a decrease in chronic cough and weight gain.
Long-term effectiveness:
Stage 1–3: Treatment is usually carried out intensively for about one year.
Stage 4 (Metastasis): Therapy is given long-term as long as the body gives a positive response, to control the spread of cancer cells.
"Personalized medicine allows us to choose more effective therapies. This is crucial for productive age patients who must balance treatment with their social responsibilities," explained Dr. Tanujaa as quoted from ANTARA.
Immunotherapy gives patients the opportunity to get a better quality of life. Although it still requires strict medical monitoring, this innovation proves that a lung cancer diagnosis is no longer a barrier to staying productive and present for loved ones.
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