What it is
Targeted drugs aim at proteins found on cancer cells (HER2, EGFR, ALK, CLDN18.2 and others). Immune checkpoint inhibitors block the signal (PD-1/PD-L1) that cancer uses to hide from immune cells, so your immune system can attack the tumour.
They are used on their own or alongside conventional chemotherapy. The combination is decided by stage and markers.
Who it suits
They are used for advanced cancer that cannot be operated on, after surgery to lower the risk of recurrence, and before surgery to shrink a tumour. The drug is chosen only once test results are in: EGFR/ALK in lung cancer, HER2/CLDN18.2 in stomach cancer, HER2 and hormone receptors in breast cancer.
If your records contain no biomarker tests, the review first tells you which tests to have and where. Tissue slides can also be sent to Korea for testing.
How it proceeds
We recommend starting the first cycle in Korea. After you arrive, tests and a multidisciplinary conference settle the drug; the first infusion is given as an inpatient, or with a day of observation to watch for side effects.
Later cycles continue with periodic visits to Korea, or at home once the prescription plan and drug information have been handed to your local physicians. Which is possible depends on the drug and your country, and is stated in the opinion.
Duration and recovery
Immunotherapy usually runs every 2–3 weeks for anything from several months to two years; oral targeted drugs are taken daily. Fatigue, skin reactions and thyroid changes are monitored with regular tests.
Follow-up and side-effect checks continue remotely once you are home, and a three-way video consultation with your local physician can be arranged.
Cost
Prices differ widely between drugs, and the total depends on the number of cycles. The estimate separates the first cycle (including tests) from later ones.
The review fee is credited against your bill when you go ahead with treatment.
In Korea
Korean tertiary hospitals have extensive experience with biomarker testing and with targeted and immune therapy in lung and stomach cancer, and clinical trials are active. Where the conditions fit, the opinion can point you to a trial.
Hospital names and results are not listed; the opinion compares three hospitals for you.
Frequently asked questions
- Do I have to repeat biomarker tests in Korea?
- Existing results are used as they stand. If they are missing or out of date, slides can be sent for testing in Korea, or the tests done after you arrive. The review tells you which.
- Can I take the drugs home?
- For some oral targeted drugs, a supply can be taken with the prescription. Injectable drugs are handed over as a prescription plan to your local hospital. The coordinator checks your country's import rules.
- Can anyone have immunotherapy?
- No. It is decided by markers such as PD-L1 expression or MSI, by stage and by your general condition. If it doesn't fit, we don't recommend it.
Clinical trials recruiting in Korea auto-updated · 2026-09-29
Fetched daily from ClinicalTrials.gov. Whether you can take part is answered in the opinion, based on stage.
| NCT | Phase | Sponsor | Updated |
|---|---|---|---|
| A Study of PHN-012 in Patients With Advanced Solid Tumors NCT07127874 | PHASE1 | Pheon Therapeutics | 2026-09-29 |
| Study of Daraxonrasib (RMC-6236) in Patients With RAS Mutated NSCLC (RASolve 301) NCT06881784 | PHASE3 | Revolution Medicines, Inc. | 2026-09-29 |
| DAREON ® -Lung-1: A Study in People With Advanced Small Cell Lung Cancer to Compare Obrixtamig Plus Atezolizumab, Carboplatin, and Etoposide Treatment With Standard Chemoimmunotherapy NCT07472517 | PHASE3 | Boehringer Ingelheim | 2026-09-29 |
| A Clinical Study of Gocatamig (MK-6070) and Infinatamab Deruxtecan (MK-2400) in People With Small Cell Lung Cancer (MK-6070-003) NCT07227597 | PHASE1/PHASE2 | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC | 2026-09-29 |
| A Clinical Trial of Calderasib (MK-1084) and Durvalumab in People With Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (MK-1084-015/KANDLELIT-015) NCT07554339 | PHASE3 | Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC | 2026-09-29 |
| A Study of GSK5764227 in Participants With Relapsed Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) [EMBOLD SCLC-301] NCT07099898 | PHASE3 | GlaxoSmithKline | 2026-09-28 |
Recent literature auto-updated · 2026-09-29
Review articles from the last five years, fetched daily from PubMed.
- Concurrent versus sequential immune checkpoint inhibition in the neoadjuvant treatment of resectable esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis. — Clinical and translational radiation oncology, 2027
- IL-15 trans-presentation at the innate-adaptive interface: mechanisms and translation in cancer immunotherapy. — Oncoimmunology, 2026
- Modulation of the response to immunotherapy in triple-negative breast cancer: the role of the microbiota and microbial metabolites in the tumor microenvironment. — Gut microbes, 2026
- The tumor microenvironment in triple negative breast cancer and a strategy to improve responses to immunotherapy using cryoablation and immunostimulants. — Cancer biology & therapy, 2026
- Leveraging the bacteria for enhanced cancer immunotherapy: from a perspective of synthetic biology. — Cancer biology & therapy, 2026
- Nanomedicine-based cancer immunotherapy: translational barriers, mechanistic strategies, and future perspectives. — Drug delivery, 2026
Related cancers
Statistics on this page are official national statistics, not the results of any particular hospital. Outcomes differ by stage and by individual health. Discuss diagnosis and treatment decisions with your physicians.