Immunotherapy has emerged as an important therapy for the treatment of cancer, either as a stand-alone treatment or in combination with other cancer therapies . It works by using the body’s own immune system to fight cancer cells . Immunotherapy has demonstrated encouraging outcomes and offers a viable strategy for enhancing the quality of life and boosting the overall survival rate of cancer patients .
Types of Immunotherapy
There are several types of immunotherapy used in cancer treatment:
Monoclonal antibodies: These are laboratory-made proteins that can target specific cancer cells and stimulate the immune system to destroy them .
Treatment vaccines: These vaccines work by boosting the immune system’s response to cancer cells. They are different from vaccines that help prevent disease .
Immune system modulators: These agents enhance the body’s immune response against cancer. Some affect specific parts of the immune system, while others have a more general impact .
Cancers Treated with Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy drugs have been approved to treat many types of cancer. However, immunotherapy is not yet as widely used as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy . The specific use of immunotherapy for each type of cancer can be found in the PDQ adult cancer treatment summaries and childhood cancer treatment summaries provided by the National Cancer Institute .
Efficacy of Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy has shown tremendous progress in cancer research and has demonstrated encouraging outcomes in terms of enhancing the quality of life and boosting the overall survival rate of cancer patients . A systematic review of 599 articles found that immunotherapy has emerged as an important therapy for the treatment of cancer .
Side Effects of Immunotherapy
Like any treatment, immunotherapy can have side effects. The specific side effects can vary depending on the type of immunotherapy used and the individual patient. Common side effects include fatigue, skin reactions, flu-like symptoms, and inflammation of organs .