Effect of Intensity Modulated Radiotherapy (IMRT) on the immunity, physical status and clinical effect of locally advanced NSCLC patients

Objectives: To evaluate the clinical value of radiotherapy combined with Camrelizumab in treating locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients.

Methods: 80 locally advanced NSCLC patients were randomly divided into two groups (n=40). The control group was administered with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), whereas the experimental group with Camrelizumab in addition to IMRT. All the patients underwent clinical efficacy evaluation in terms of adverse drug reaction (ADR), physical status improvement after the treatment, and changes in T lymphocyte subpopulations (incl. CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+).

Results: The efficacy was found to be 70% and 47.5 in experimental group and control group, respectively, with the former being significantly better than the latter (p=0.03). The ADR rates were 50% and 37.5% in the experimental group and control group, respectively; but the difference remained insignificant (p=0.26). As for physical status improvement, experimental group evidently excelled the control group (p=0.04). The post-treatment indicators such as CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ were significantly more improved in the experimental group than the control group (CD3+, p=0.02; CD4+, p=0.00; and CD4+/CD8+, p=0.01). However, the changes in CD8+ were not significant at all (p=0.46).

Conclusions: The combined therapy of IMRT with Camrelizumab appeared effective in dealing with the locally advanced NSCLC patients, as such patients presented significantly better immune state and physical status improvement but not increased ADR. The therapy is both safe and effective.