Which Cancers Respond Well to Immunotherapy in the US 2025

Immunotherapy has changed cancer treatment for many Americans, with over 1.9 million new cases diagnosed yearly per American Cancer Society 2025 data. This approach uses the body's immune system to target cancer cells, offering options when traditional treatments like chemo or radiation fall short. FDA approvals for checkpoint inhibitors and CAR-T therapies have expanded, helping patients in states like California and Texas with high cancer rates. While not every cancer responds equally, certain types show strong results. This guide explores cancers where immunotherapy makes a difference, based on National Cancer Institute and ASCO guidelines, highlighting progress for common diagnoses.

Melanoma: High Response Rates

Melanoma, affecting 100,000 Americans annually, responds notably to immunotherapy. Drugs like pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo) block PD-1, unleashing immune attacks on tumors. In advanced cases, 40-50% of patients see long-term remission, per NCI trials. Combination therapies with ipilimumab boost rates further. For many in sunny regions like Florida, early detection plus immunotherapy improves outcomes significantly.

Lung Cancer: Major Advances in Non-Small Cell Type

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), 80% of lung cases (220,000 yearly), benefits from PD-L1 inhibitors. Durvalumab (Imfinzi) after chemo/radiation extends survival by years in stage III. For metastatic, atezolizumab (Tecentriq) combinations achieve 30-40% response rates. Smoking history influences eligibility, but testing for biomarkers like PD-L1 guides treatment in clinics nationwide.

Kidney Cancer: Clear Cell Variant Leads

Renal cell carcinoma, 79,000 cases yearly, often clear cell type, responds to nivolumab or cabozantinib combos. In advanced stages, immunotherapy doubles progression-free survival compared to older drugs, per Kidney Cancer Association data. Patients in rural areas access these via telehealth expansions.

Bladder Cancer: Options for Advanced Stages

Urothelial carcinoma sees 83,000 new cases. Pembrolizumab for PD-L1 positive tumors offers 20-30% complete responses in metastatic settings. Enfortumab vedotin (Padcev) with immunotherapy combos marks 2025 progress, extending life for many.

Hodgkin Lymphoma: Reliable Results

Classical Hodgkin lymphoma, rare but affecting young adults, responds to brentuximab vedotin with nivolumab in 70-80% of relapsed cases. CAR-T options emerge for refractory patients.

Head and Neck Cancers: HPV-Related Stronger

Squamous cell cancers, 66,000 cases, especially HPV-positive, benefit from pembrolizumab, with 35% response in recurrent disease.

Emerging Areas: MSI-High and TMB-High Tumors

Cancers with microsatellite instability (MSI-high) or high tumor mutational burden (TMB-high), like some colorectal (15% of cases), respond across types to dostarlimab or pembrolizumab, regardless of origin.

Factors Influencing Response

Biomarker testing (PD-L1, MSI) guides selection. Side effects like fatigue or immune reactions occur in 20-40%, managed with steroids. Clinical trials via Cancer.gov expand access.

Support in Daily Management

Nutrition, exercise, and support groups from American Cancer Society aid tolerance. Monitoring via apps tracks symptoms.

Conclusion

Immunotherapy offers hope for several cancers in the US, with ongoing research broadening reach. Discuss with oncologists for current options.