If you are researching cancer treatments, you have likely seen the headlines: "Immunotherapy is a Miracle Cure" or "The End of Chemotherapy."

But when you sit in the doctor's office, chemotherapy is often still the first option proposed. This creates confusion. If immunotherapy is so successful, why isn't it used for everyone?

The answer lies in how we define "Success."

• Chemotherapy is often the master of Speed (shrinking tumours fast).

• Immunotherapy is the master of Durability (keeping tumours away for years).

At Karetrip, we believe patients need real numbers, not just hype. This guide compares the success rates of these two powerhouses to help you understand your prognosis.

1. The "Sprint" vs. The "Marathon"

To understand success rates, you need to understand the drug's goal.

• Chemotherapy: The Sprinter

• Success Metric: High Response Rate.

• How it works: It poisons fast-dividing cells.

• The Reality: Chemo works for more people initially. If you give 100 patients chemo, a high percentage might see their tumours shrink within weeks.

• The Problem: The cancer often learns to resist the drugs, and the tumour may grow back after 6–12 months.

Immunotherapy: The Marathon Runner

• Success Metric: Long-Term Survival (The "Tail of the Curve").

• How it works: It teaches your immune system to hunt cancer.

• The Reality: It works for fewer people initially (often a 20–40% response rate).

• The Breakthrough: For the patients it does work for, the results can last for years even after treatment stops. This is called a "durable response."

2. Real-World Numbers: Where Immunotherapy Wins

There are specific cancers in which immunotherapy has outperformed chemotherapy. Here are the hard stats:

A. Advanced Melanoma (Skin Cancer)

• The Old Way (Chemo): Before 2011, the 5-year survival rate for stage 4 melanoma was less than 10%.

• The New Way (Immunotherapy): Today, with combination immunotherapy (like Ipilimumab + Nivolumab), the 5-year survival rate is over 52%.

• Verdict: Immunotherapy is the clear winner.

B. Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

• Chemotherapy alone: historically offered a 5-year survival rate of approx 15% for advanced stages.

• Immunotherapy Alone: For patients with high PD-L1 markers, this rate jumps to approx 32%.

• Verdict: Immunotherapy doubled the survival chance for specific patients.

3. The "Combination" Trend: Best of Both Worlds

Because Chemo is good at starting the attack and Immunotherapy is good at finishing it, doctors are now combining them.

Recent studies (like the Keynote-189 trial for lung cancer) showed that giving Chemo + Immunotherapy together reduced the risk of death by 51% compared to Chemo alone.

Why? The chemotherapy kills tumour cells, releasing "signals" (antigens) that wake up the immune system, making the immunotherapy work better.

4. Why Isn't Immunotherapy Used for Everyone?

If the long-term results are so good, why not use it for every patient?

1. It doesn't work for "Cold" Tumours: Some cancers (like pancreatic or prostate) are invisible to the immune system. Immunotherapy alone has a success rate of nearly 0% in these cases unless combined with other drugs.

2. Side Effects: While often milder than chemo, immunotherapy can cause the immune system to attack healthy organs (lungs, colon, thyroid).

Conclusion: It's About "Your" Success Rate

General statistics are useful, but they don't predict your outcome. Your success depends on your biomarkers (like PD-L1, MSI-H, or TMB).

• If your tumor has high markers, Immunotherapy might offer a "cure-like" result.

• If your markers are low, Chemotherapy might still be your strongest weapon.

At Karetrip, we help patients decode these complex statistics. We assist with:

• Biomarker Testing Coordination (PD-L1, Genomic profiling).

• Second Opinions to confirm if you are eligible for immunotherapy.

• Medical visas, travel, and accommodation.

• End-to-end patient support.

Do you qualify for Immunotherapy? click here Ask Rua. Unsure if your pathology report mentions "PD-L1" or what it means for your survival chances? Chat with our WhatsApp AI agent, Rua. Rua can help you read your report and prepare the right questions for your oncologist.