Cancer Immunotherapy: Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment
Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps the immune system find and attack cancer cells. It uses substances made by the body or in a lab to stimulate or boost the immune system so it works better against cancer.
Consult Our SpecialistsWhat is Immunotherapy?
Understanding how immunotherapy harnesses the body's natural defenses to fight cancer
How It Works
Immunotherapy helps your immune system recognize cancer cells and strengthens your immune response. It overcomes challenges where the immune system might not see cancer cells as foreign, the response isn't strong enough, or cancer cells hide from immune detection.
Treatment Goals
Immunotherapy can have three possible treatment goals: to cure the cancer (curative intent), to control the cancer when a cure isn't possible, or to ease symptoms (palliative intent) to improve comfort and quality of life.
Personalized Approach
Immunotherapy is sometimes called precision or personalized medicine because treatment is tailored based on specific biomarkers found through testing. Different immunotherapies are used depending on which biomarkers are present.
Who Are Candidates for Immunotherapy?
Understanding patient selection criteria for immunotherapy treatment
Suitable Conditions
- Positive biomarkers (PD-L1, MSI-H, TMB-H)
- Metastatic cancers
- Recurrence after chemotherapy
- Specific cancer types (melanoma, lung, kidney, bladder)
- Good performance status (ECOG 0-1)
- Adequate organ function
Unsuitable Conditions
- Active autoimmune diseases
- Organ transplant recipients
- Severe liver/kidney failure
- Active infections
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Certain genetic conditions
Types of Cancer Immunotherapy
Different approaches to harness the immune system against cancer
Monoclonal Antibodies (mAbs or MoAbs)
Lab-made proteins designed to target specific parts of cancer cells. These antibodies can mark cancer cells for destruction by the immune system or deliver toxic substances directly to cancer cells.
CAR T-Cell Therapy
Modifies the T cells in your blood to make them better able to target cancer cells. This personalized treatment involves collecting T cells, engineering them to produce chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), then infusing them back into the patient.
Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TILs)
Special white blood cells taken from a tumor, multiplied in a lab, and returned to the body to target and destroy the cancer. This approach targets many different changes in cancer cells rather than a single biomarker.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Remove the immune system's "brakes," allowing it to recognize and attack cancer. These drugs block proteins like PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4 that prevent immune cells from attacking cancer cells.
Cancer Vaccines
Used to start an immune response against certain types of cancer. These can be preventive (like HPV vaccine) or therapeutic (to treat existing cancer).
Cytokines
Small proteins that send signals to immune cells to attack cancer. These include interleukins and interferons that help regulate and direct immune responses.
Oncolytic Virus Therapy
Uses lab-modified viruses to infect and kill certain tumor cells. The viruses are engineered to selectively replicate in cancer cells, causing them to burst while stimulating an immune response.
Immunomodulators
Non-specific immunotherapies that boost parts of the immune system to treat certain types of cancer. These include drugs that stimulate general immune activity.
How Immunotherapy Works
Understanding the mechanism of action step by step
Mechanism of Immunotherapy Action
T cell recognizes cancer cell
PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blocked
Immune system activated
Cancer cells destroyed
Immunotherapy Response Prediction
Estimate potential response to immunotherapy based on key factors
Predict Response to Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy vs Chemotherapy
Understanding the differences between these two cancer treatment approaches
| Aspect | Immunotherapy | Chemotherapy |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanism of Action | Works with your body's immune system to kill cancer cells or limit their growth | Works directly against cancer cells (and some healthy cells) |
| Target | Targets the immune system to recognize and attack cancer | Targets rapidly dividing cells (both cancer and healthy) |
| Treatment Approach | Often personalized based on biomarkers | Typically standardized based on cancer type |
| Duration of Response | Can provide long-lasting responses | Response duration varies, often requires multiple cycles |
| Side Effects | Immune-related adverse effects, flu-like symptoms | Nausea, hair loss, bone marrow suppression |
Immunotherapy Treatment Process
What to expect during immunotherapy treatment
Administration Methods
Most immunotherapy is given as intravenous (IV) infusions at a clinic or hospital. Some types can be administered as injections (subcutaneous or intralesional), taken orally as pills, or applied topically to the skin.
Treatment Cycles
Immunotherapy is typically given in cycles with regular intervals. A cycle includes one or more doses followed by a break to allow your body to respond to treatment and recover. Treatment can be given daily, weekly, or monthly depending on the specific immunotherapy and cancer type.
Combination with Other Treatments
Immunotherapy may be used alone or combined with other treatments like chemotherapy, surgery, or radiation therapy. It can be given before surgery (neoadjuvant), after surgery (adjuvant), or alongside other drugs. Sometimes different immunotherapies are used together in combination immunotherapy.
Treatment Duration
The number of cycles may be predetermined or flexible based on treatment response and side effects. It's important to complete the full course of immunotherapy when possible to maximize benefits, though adjustments may be needed for serious side effects.
Common Side Effects of Immunotherapy
Understanding potential side effects and how to manage them
Flu-like Symptoms
Fever, chills, muscle aches, and fatigue are common, especially after initial treatments.
Skin Changes
Rash, itching, and skin redness may occur as the immune system becomes activated.
Fatigue
General tiredness and lack of energy are common during immunotherapy treatment.
Digestive Issues
Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or colitis can occur as immune-related adverse effects.
Endocrine Changes
Thyroid problems and other hormone imbalances may develop during treatment.
Other Effects
Cytokine release syndrome, neurologic toxicity, and other immune-related reactions may occur.
Important Safety Information
Immunotherapy may cause the immune system to attack healthy cells, leading to immune-related adverse effects. These can happen at any time during treatment or even after stopping immunotherapy. It's important to report any new or worsening symptoms to your healthcare team immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about immunotherapy answered by our specialists
Immunotherapy works by boosting your body's own immune system to fight cancer, while chemotherapy directly attacks cancer cells (and some healthy cells). Immunotherapy can provide longer-lasting responses and has different side effects compared to chemotherapy.
Response times vary significantly. Some patients may see improvement within weeks, while for others it may take several months. Unlike chemotherapy, immunotherapy can sometimes cause an initial increase in tumor size (pseudoprogression) before shrinkage occurs.
Success rates depend on many factors including cancer type, stage, biomarker status, and previous treatments. For some cancers like melanoma and lung cancer with high PD-L1 expression, response rates can be 40-50% or higher. However, individual responses vary significantly.
Yes, immunotherapy is often combined with chemotherapy, targeted therapy, or radiation. These combinations can sometimes improve response rates. The specific combination depends on the cancer type and individual patient factors.
Response is typically monitored through regular imaging scans (CT, MRI, or PET scans), blood tests for tumor markers, and assessment of symptoms. Because immunotherapy can cause pseudoprogression, special response criteria (iRECIST) are sometimes used.
Explore Immunotherapy Options
Our specialists can help you understand if immunotherapy is right for your specific cancer type and connect you with leading treatment centers worldwide.
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