A landmark study suggests that lung transplantation may dramatically improve survival in carefully selected patients with advanced stage IV non-small cell lung cancer that remains confined to the lungs. Researchers found that all transplant recipients survived at least one year, compared with 41% of similar patients treated with standard therapies alone. The approach is intended only for patients whose cancer has not spread beyond the lungs and who have exhausted all other treatment options. While longer follow-up is needed to assess long-term outcomes, the findings could reshape treatment strategies and offer a new option for a small group of patients with otherwise limited prospects.
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