Immunotherapy Expands Into Earlier Cancer Treatment Stages Across Multiple Tumor Types

Immunotherapy given before or after surgery is increasingly used across several cancer areas, according to a comprehensive review published in the Journal of Internal Medicine. Researchers at Karolinska Institutet present findings from studies across seven tumour areas, showing how the field is moving towards earlier treatment.

The review summarises findings from studies on several cancer diagnoses, grouped into seven tumour areas: skin cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, gastrointestinal cancer, gynaecological cancer, head and neck cancer, and urological cancer. Several studies in recent years have shown that adjuvant immunotherapy after surgery can reduce the risk of the disease returning. Additional studies indicate that neoadjuvant treatment, given while the tumour is still in place, can in many cases provide the immune system with better conditions to recognise tumour cells.

In several tumour areas, the results also suggest that immunotherapy given both before and after surgery may offer advantages compared with adjuvant treatment alone. At the same time, the results vary between different cancer types and the treatment involves challenges, such as the risk of side effects and the possibility that some patients may receive more treatment than necessary if surgery alone would have been sufficient.

The work behind the article is a collaboration between 14 researchers at the Department of Oncology-Pathology, Karolinska Institutet. All of them also work with cancer treatment in clinical care. The researchers point to areas where more knowledge is needed, including the development of biomarkers, measurable characteristics that can help healthcare determine which patients benefit from immunotherapy, both before and after surgery. They also discuss how introducing immunotherapy at earlier stages raises questions about costs, side effects, and whether healthcare resources will be sufficient, questions that current studies do not yet clearly answer.

The global immunotherapy drugs market is experiencing significant growth, driven by advancements in biotechnology and rising demand for targeted therapies. Immunotherapy has emerged as a transformative treatment modality, leveraging the body's immune system to combat diseases, particularly cancer, autoimmune disorders, and infectious diseases. The "Immunotherapy Drugs Market (2026 Edition)" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering, analysing the market by Region (Americas, Europe, Asia Pacific, Middle East & Africa) and 10 Countries (United States, Canada, Germany, United Kingdom, France, Italy, Spain, China, Japan, India).

Key factors contributing to market expansion include increasing cancer prevalence, a growing pipeline of innovative immunotherapeutic drugs, and the rising adoption of monoclonal antibodies and immune checkpoint inhibitors. Additionally, the shift towards personalized medicine and the development of combination therapies have further bolstered the market's trajectory. The escalating global burden of chronic diseases, coupled with heightened awareness about immunotherapy, has led to increased adoption among patients and healthcare providers. Governments and private entities worldwide are also investing heavily in research and development to accelerate the approval of novel immunotherapies.

The main market opportunities in the global immunotherapy drugs market include advancements in biotechnology driving demand for targeted therapies, a growing pipeline of innovative drugs, increased adoption of monoclonal antibodies, interest in personalized and combination therapies, and strong investments in R&D. The report covers market segmentation by indication including cancer, autoimmune and inflammatory diseases, and other indications, as well as by drug type including monoclonal antibodies, immunomodulators, and vaccines.

The growing use of immunotherapy and targeted medicines in pre-operative cancer treatment regimens is propelling the neoadjuvant therapies market. The global neoadjuvant therapies market size is valued at USD 14.39 Bn in 2025 and is predicted to reach USD 27.93 Bn by the year 2035 at a 6.9% CAGR during the forecast period for 2026 to 2035. With the advent of immune checkpoint inhibitors like PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors, which have shown enhanced pathological complete response rates in malignancies including breast, lung, and melanoma, the neoadjuvant setting has rapidly changed.

Healthcare professionals are increasingly using neoadjuvant therapy options to decrease tumours, enhance surgical results, and lower recurrence rates as the incidence of solid tumours, including breast, lung, colorectal, and others, continues to grow. Neoadjuvant therapies' capacity to evaluate tumour response before surgery facilitates more individualised treatment planning by enabling physicians to adjust postoperative tactics in response to pathological response. Additionally, improvements in immunotherapies and targeted therapies have markedly increased pathological full response rates, boosting oncologists' trust in preoperative treatment plans and hastening their incorporation into accepted clinical practices.