In oncology, immunotherapies are considered one of the best ways to treat cancer outside of chemotherapy. The difference is that immunotherapies help the immune system to eliminate cancer on its own. A few of the ways that immunotherapies can be used is to:
- Cancer prevention
- Immune system stimulation
- Directly kill cancer
When used, immunotherapies are also able to repair the body’s immune system. When repaired, the immune system is able to seek out cancer and kill it before it has a chance to spread.
The medications used in immunotherapies are able to reverse a multitude of cancers such as melanoma, lung cancer, breast cancer, bladder cancer, prostate cancer, lymphoma, and leukemia.
Kinds of Immunotherapies
Immunotherapies involve various types such as these:
- Antibody therapy: This involves the use of antibodies known as monoclonal and are created in the laboratory that pinpoints an antigen. They are then marked for destruction by the body’s immune system. All immunotherapies are also able to prevent cells from growing, thus keeping cancer growth in check.
- Oncology vaccine: An oncology vaccine works by using altered body cells in order to create a response in the immune system. A few of these vaccines that are available for treatment include vaccines consisting of dendritic cells, cancer antigens, and tumour cells. For prevention, vaccines include the HPV vaccines.
- Cytokine: Using therapies with cytokines sparks specific areas of a body’s immune system. It encourages communication between cells while preparing for a response to take care of the cancer cells. During treatment, cytokine instantly gets to work to seek and eliminate cancer cells as it concentrates on the cancer substances in order for a response to be triggered. A few cytokines involved with immunotherapies are interleukin and interferon as well as sargramostim, which is able to stimulate a colony.
Route of Administration
Immunotherapies can be administered through many routes, including subcutaneous, intravenous, intramuscular, and orally. If needed, treatment may also be given rectally in order for exact areas to be treated. A lot of the methods used today for immunotherapy have been FDA approved with others currently in trial.
A lot of times, immunotherapies are given by itself in order to treat specific cancers. Sometimes immunotherapies may also include a second treatment such as radiation or chemo.
Adverse Reactions of Immunotherapies
Although a lot of the ingredients of immunotherapeutic medicines can be found naturally in the body, adverse reactions occur due to their increased amount of certain types.
Adverse reactions occur due to the immune system becoming stimulated, and they involve the following:
- Tiredness
- Loss of appetite
- Chills
- Fever
- Nausea/vomiting
Allergies may also occur, and a few of these could involve the following:
- Skin rashes
- Hypotension
- Shortness of breath
It is advised to notify your care provider if any of these allergies are occurring throughout the treatment process.
The side effects being experienced may be different for each treatment type. It is necessary to inform your healthcare provider of these or any other adverse reactions or allergies that may be experienced. With immunotherapeutic methods still considered a new therapy, learning what happens short and long term is important.
A timeframe that Immunotherapies take to Work
When it comes to the timeframe for immunotherapies to start working, it is different as compared to chemo or radiation. With immunotherapies, the immune response takes longer to respond because the therapy prepares the body for defence in order to protect the body. So when therapy is underway, cancer may continue to grow.
Plus, the length of time for delivery is also determined by which immunotherapies are used. All throughout treatment, the immunotherapies will be monitored to ensure treatment is effective and that side effects are at a minimum.
