Four Things to Know About Immunotherapy
Through research, cancer care is evolving. Treatment is becoming less about the type of cancer and more about creating tailored treatment plans unique to the genetic makeup of each patient’s specific tumor.
While chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery have been primary forms of cancer treatment for decades, with better understanding of the human body, researchers have discovered ways to harness the power of the immune system to fight cancer. Breakthroughs such as immunotherapy now effectively treat a variety of cancers, including breast, blood, colorectal, lung, bladder and kidney cancer.
Here are four things to know about immunotherapy, a rapidly growing component of cancer treatment:
What is immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that boosts the body’s own defense mechanisms to fight diseases at the cellular level. By using substances either naturally produced or developed in a laboratory, this form of treatment enhances the immune system’s response to fight cancerous cells.
How does immunotherapy help treat cancer?
Immunotherapy activates certain parts of a patient’s immune system to recognize a marker on cancerous cells, which helps the body to recognize and attack those cells. This limits the cancer’s ability to spread by stopping or slowing its growth.
Who qualifies for immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy has proven to be an effective treatment for certain types of cancer that have been resistant to chemotherapy and radiation. The decision to treat cancer using immunotherapy can depend on the type, biomarkers, stage of cancer, and other pre-existing medical conditions.
What are the benefits of immunotherapy in cancer treatment?
Immunotherapy can be used alone or in combination with other treatments. This therapy also can train the immune system to remember cancerous cells, resulting in longer-lasting remissions. Additional benefits include:
- Stimulating a patient’s immune system to work harder or smarter to attack cancer cells.
- Boosting the patient’s immune system with man-made immune system proteins.
- Overcoming cancer cell defenses against the human immune system.
If you have been diagnosed with cancer, your treatment team will discuss if immunotherapy might benefit you and develop a customized plan based on your tumor and stage, baseline health conditions, and goals of treatment.
This article originally appeared inthe October/November issue of
AARP Magazine.