UChicago Medicine Comprehensive Cancer Center
Everett Vokes, MD, UChicago Medicine medical oncologist
Medical oncologist Everett E. Vokes, MD, in an internationally known expert in lung cancer treatment and serves as UChicago Medicine's physician-in-chief and chair of the Department of Medicine.

Immunotherapy harnesses the power of the immune system to treat cancer. There are several types of immunotherapy, which work in different ways to treat different types of cancer.

Immune checkpoint inhibitors are used to treat certain non-small cell lung cancers. These drugs block proteins (PD-1 and PD-L1) that cancer cells use to disarm an immune response, enabling disease-fighting T-cells to attack, shrink or destroy tumor cells.

In some cases, checkpoint inhibitors (e.g. pembrolizumab, nivolumab, atezolizumab, durvalumab) are given before, along with, or instead of chemotherapy. They can also be combined with radiation therapy or surgery.

Clinical Trial Helps Patient with Stage 4 Lung Cancer

John Polo was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in spring 2019. He entered a clinical trial that combined radiation with two cancer immunotherapy drugs, and today doctors can no longer detect cancer in his body.
Patient John Polo with oncologist Christine Bestvina, MD, left, and surgeon Jessica Donington, MD.

Understanding Lung Cancer

Medical oncologist Christine Bestvina, MD, thoracic surgeon Jessica Donington, MD, and patient Kathy Tentinger joined us for a candid conversation on lung cancer screening, novel lung cancer treatment options and the latest clinical trials offered at UChicago Medicine.

Request an Appointment

We are currently experiencing a high volume of inquiries, leading to delayed response times. For faster assistance, please call 1-855-702-8222 to schedule your appointment.

If you have symptoms of an urgent nature, please call your doctor or go to the emergency room immediately.

For Referring Physicians

To refer a patient for lung cancer care, please call UCM Physician Connect at 1-800-824-2282

 

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By submitting this form you acknowledge the risk of sending this information by email and agree not to hold the University of Chicago or University of Chicago Medical Center liable for any damages you may incur as a result of the transfer or use of this information. The use or transmittal of this form does not create a physician-contact relationship. More information regarding the confidentiality of this request can be found in our Privacy Policy.