Immunotherapy: A Primer
Cancer immunotherapy harnesses the body's immune system to fight cancer. Unlike chemotherapy, which directly kills cancer cells, immunotherapy empowers immune cells to effectively target and eliminate tumors.
Checkpoint Inhibitors Breakthrough
Checkpoint inhibitors revolutionized cancer treatment by blocking proteins that prevent immune cells from attacking cancer. Drugs like pembrolizumab were pioneering, leading to remarkable results in melanoma and non-small cell lung cancer.
CAR T-Cell Therapy
Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy modifies a patient's T-cells to attack cancer. Remarkably, it has shown success in treating certain blood cancers, offering hope where other treatments have failed.
Cancer Vaccines Development
Cancer vaccines, such as Sipuleucel-T, stimulate the immune system to attack cancer. Unlike preventative vaccines, these therapeutic vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by targeting specific tumor-associated antigens.
Oncolytic Virus Therapy
Viruses aren't always the enemy. Oncolytic virus therapy uses genetically modified viruses to infect and destroy cancer cells while sparing healthy cells, providing a novel angle for treatment.
Microbiome's Role Unveiled
Research has uncovered the gut microbiome's significant influence on immunotherapy efficacy. Certain bacteria can enhance the immune system's response to treatment, opening avenues for microbiome-based therapeutic strategies.
Neoantigen Vaccine Promise
Neoantigen vaccines are personalized to each patient's tumor, targeting unique mutations. Early trials show potential for these vaccines to induce strong immune responses with minimal side effects.
What does cancer immunotherapy utilize?
Chemical agents to kill cells
Body's immune system against tumors
Radiation to shrink cancer cells
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