Immunotherapy
Disclaimer: The following information is provided for informational purposes only and is not medical advice. Always consult a healthcare professional for medical advice and treatment.
Immunotherapy is a treatment aimed at stimulating or enhancing the body's natural immune system to fight cancer. It teaches the immune system to better recognize, attack, and ultimately eliminate malignant cells. Not everyone with lung cancer can receive immunotherapy, and it does not work in all cases. Sometimes, cancer cells outsmart the immune system and are not eliminated.
Usually, immunotherapy is administered via an intravenous (IV) infusion. Before each immunotherapy session, a blood sample is taken to assess whether your blood values are suitable to start the therapy.
There are various types of immunotherapy used in cancer treatment. The choice of treatment is decided collaboratively with cancer specialists based on your individual profile. Immunotherapy is often administered alone, but in some cases, it may be combined with chemotherapy. Most types below are used in the context of a clinical trial; however, checkpoint inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies are used in clinical practice.
These drugs essentially release the 'brakes' on the immune system, enabling it to better recognize and attack cancer.
These are synthetic versions of immune system proteins. mAbs can be highly effective in treating cancer because they can be designed to target a very specific part of a cancer cell.
This therapy extracts some T-cells from a patient's blood, combines them with a special virus that teaches the T-cells how to attach to tumor cells, and then reintroduces the cells to the patient to locate, attach to, and kill the cancer.
This treatment uses cytokines (small proteins carrying messages between cells) to stimulate the immune cells to attack cancer.
This group of drugs generally boosts parts of the immune system to treat certain types of cancer.
Vaccines are substances introduced into the body to initiate an immune response against specific diseases. While we typically associate vaccines with preventing infections in healthy individuals, some vaccines can help prevent or treat cancer.
This treatment uses viruses modified in a lab to infect and kill certain tumor cells.
Immunotherapy is generally well-tolerated, but this varies among individuals. Each person responds differently to a specific treatment, and not all immunotherapy treatments result in the same side effects.
Since immunotherapy stimulates the body's own immune system, there is a possibility of overstimulation, leading to an attack on one of the body's own organs, known as an autoimmune reaction. This reaction may manifest as symptoms such as itching, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. A swift response is essential to treat the immune reaction correctly and prevent it from leading to serious complications.
Since immunotherapy stimulates the body's own immune system, there is a possibility of overstimulation, leading to an attack on one of the body's own organs, known as an autoimmune reaction. This reaction may manifest as symptoms such as itching, abdominal pain, and diarrhea. A swift response is essential to treat the immune reaction correctly and prevent it from leading to serious complications.
More information can be found on: cancer.gov/types/lung