How Cutting-Edge Immunotherapy Helped One Patient Regain His Strength and Hope

A 79-year-old man, once wheelchair-bound due to an aggressive stage IV lung cancer, has made an incredible recovery with the help of immunotherapy at Paras Hospitals in Gurgaon. Diagnosed in 2016, he had undergone multiple rounds of chemotherapy without success. Sapped of energy and facing advanced disease, the outlook seemed grim. However, Dr. (Retd Col) R Ranga Rao, currently Chairman of Paras Cancer Centre, suggested an alternative approach that was relatively new to India at the time—immunotherapy.

Initially, the patient experienced a few side effects, including mild skin rashes and thyroid complications, which were quickly managed by his medical team. Unlike chemotherapy, immunotherapy does not directly kill cancer cells; instead, it enhances the immune system’s ability to identify and combat them. Within weeks of starting immunotherapy, this once-debilitated patient began to walk again—no longer confined to a wheelchair.

Remarkably, he had also battled prostate cancer in 2010 and was suffering from Interstitial Lung Disease (ILD). Despite his challenging medical history, he responded exceptionally well to immunotherapy. His cough, breathlessness, and overall weakness have diminished significantly, and he has regained his former vigor—playing golf, exercising regularly, and attending check-ups on his own.

After an initial schedule of bi-weekly treatments for three years, his regimen was reduced to once every two months. Now nearly 80, the patient is thriving, and his case stands as a testament to how immunotherapy can offer renewed hope, even for those with advanced or previously unresponsive cancers. Dr. Rao emphasizes that advanced lung cancers can often be managed successfully with the right approach and cutting-edge therapies, as this patient’s story so clearly demonstrates.