Immunotherapy: How it is revolutionizing cancer treatment?
The human body has an effective defence mechanism that shields it from various foreign invasions and factors that could impair its normal functioning. This defence system is called the immune system.
The immune system can handle almost any threat to the human body, including cancer. However, the immune system must be trained to recognize and respond to these threats. Keep reading to learn more about the immunotherapy cancer treatment that involves training the body’s immune system.
What is immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy is a process of using the human body’s immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. The process involves training the immune system to destroy intruders, including cancerous cells.
The special cells in the immune system work like the military that patrols various places for “intruders.” The peculiarity of cancer cells is that they
continuously multiply and spread in the human body. They are constantly on the move. So, immunotherapy as a process also involves aiding the body’s immune system to produce more cancer-fighting special immune cells. These special cells will effectively locate and destroy other cancer cells.
What are the types of immunotherapy?
The immune system is so powerful that it needs to be controlled from “over” reacting. The checkpoints ensure that the immune system does not destroy the normal and healthy cells.
Checkpoint inhibitors involve the intake of drugs that block the immune checkpoints so that the special immune cells respond strongly to cancer cells.
This process is used to treat cancer, such as;
- Bladder cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Head and neck cancer
- Hepatocellular carcinoma
- Breast cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Melanoma
- Mesothelioma
- Non-small cell lung cancer
It is a process where the immune system’s natural capacity to fight cancer is boosted. Here, the medical experts take the immune cells from the tumour.
The most active cells against tumours are grown in laboratory conditions in large batches. They are reintroduced into the body intravenously so that they kill the cancerous cells.
T-cell transfer therapy is also known as adoptive cell therapy and is used to treat cancers like;
- Leukemia
- Lymphoma
- Myeloma
- Brain cancer
- Breast cancer
- Melanoma
- Cervical squamous carcinoma
- Cholangiocarcinoma (bile duct cancer)
Antibodies serve as the first line of defence against the foreign bodies that invade the human body. They mark the intruder who enters the human body. Monoclonal antibody therapy involves immune system proteins that are created in laboratory conditions. They are introduced to the human body so that they bind to cancer cells. In that way, the immune system quickly recognizes the cancer cells and destroys them.
This form of therapy is used against cancers such as;
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Colorectal cancer
- Lymphoma
- Leukemia
- Multiple myeloma
- Cervical squamous carcinoma
- Non-small cell lung cancer
Cancer vaccines don’t prevent cancer. Instead, it trains the immune system to recognize the cancer cells better and fight them effectively. In addition, certain vaccines fight against the virus that can cause cancer in people, like the HPV vaccine.
Immune system modulators are substances that enhance the human body’s response against cancer cells. It involves substances like cytokines, BCG and immunomodulatory drugs like Thalidomide, Lenalidomide, Pomalidomide, and Imiquimod.
How is immunotherapy revolutionizing cancer treatment?
History has recorded earlier research on cancer immunotherapy during the 17th and 18th. Today, immunotherapy is one of the most effective forms of treatment against cancer though it may not be effective against all forms of the disease. Cancer cells divide and spread quickly, and the treatment method must stop its spreading.
Recently, a US woman in her early 50s opened up about surviving metastatic breast cancer through immunotherapy. Before that, her oncologists told her that she had just three years to live as a woman in 4th stage of her breast cancer, which had spread even to her liver. Immunotherapy completely cured her stage 4 cancer, and she is the first person to survive secondary breast cancer in the world. Immunotherapy has given a new lease of life to a lot of patients, and cancer researchers are optimistic about witnessing a lot of change in the next five years.
In conclusion,
Researchers are pushing for the early detection of metastatic cancer for a higher success rate of immunotherapy. Since there has been a couple of cases where people survived stage 4 cancer and resurgence, there is hope for future generations. Scientists are looking for a suitable solution for all cancer patients. At the same time, they endorse the importance of early detection for a successful treatment, including that immunotherapy.
Do you seek guidance for effective cancer treatment?
CancerMitr is here as a friend for all cancer patients and their families. Cancer is not the end of the journey, and one can always put up a strong fight against it. Contact our team if you seek assistance, and check out our website for various screening and treatment packages, including immunotherapy.