Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. It can be used alone or in combination with other cancer treatments, such as surgery, radiation therapy, or chemotherapy.
The immune system is made up of cells and proteins that work together to protect the body from diseases and infections. The immune system can recognize cancer cells as abnormal and destroy them. Immunotherapy helps the immune system work better against cancer cells.
There are different types of immunotherapy, including monoclonal antibodies, checkpoint inhibitors, CAR T-cell therapy, and vaccines. Monoclonal antibodies are man-made proteins that bind to specific targets on cancer cells. Checkpoint inhibitors block signals that tell the immune system to stop attacking cancer cells. CAR T-cell therapy uses genetically modified T cells to attack cancer cells. Vaccines help the body create an immunity to certain viruses or bacteria that can cause cancer.
Immunotherapy is still being studied in clinical trials and is not yet widely available. Some side effects of immunotherapy can include fatigue, flu-like symptoms, diarrhea, rash, and swelling. More serious side effects are rare but can occur.