Immunotherapy uses the body’s immune system to fight diseases, mainly cancer and sometimes autoimmune disorders. It boosts the immune system’s ability to detect and attack foreign substances, like tumor-specific antigens on cancer cells. While generally safe, side effects can range from mild, such as pain at the injection site, to rare but severe allergic reactions.
What is Immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy is a medical treatment that harnesses the body’s own cells and chemicals to strengthen the natural immune response against disease. By leveraging the immune system’s ability to identify and attack foreign substances (antigens), immunotherapy offers a targeted approach to combating various illnesses. It works by either removing inhibitory actions of disease-associated proteins or directly increasing immune activity.
How Does Immunotherapy Work?
Immunotherapy leverages the immune system’s ability to detect and attack antigens (foreign substances). In the case of cancer, for example, certain types of immunotherapy are designed to target so-called tumor-specific antigens, which are found only on the surface of cancer cells. These antigens are altered forms of normal self-antigens and are therefore foreign. They effectively evade recognition by the immune system through various mechanisms, such as by blocking immune activity, interfering with antigen recognition, or exhausting immune cells known as T cells, causing the T cells to lose their ability to attack and destroy cancer cells. Some immunotherapeutic strategies are oriented toward removing the inhibitory actions of disease-associated proteins, whereas others attempt to directly increase immune activity.
What are the Side Effects of Immunotherapy?
While immunotherapy is generally well-tolerated, it can be associated with side effects. The most serious, though rare, are severe allergic reactions. More commonly, patients might experience pain and swelling at the injection site, or flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever, and headache, which indicate an immune response. In addition, heart palpitations, organ inflammation, and weight gain from fluid retention can occur.
People Also Ask
How is immunotherapy administered?
Immunotherapy can be administered in various ways, including intravenously (through a vein), orally (as a pill), topically (as a cream), or intravesically (directly into the bladder). The method depends on the type of immunotherapy and the condition being treated.
What types of diseases can immunotherapy treat?
While primarily known for its role in cancer treatment, immunotherapy is also used to treat autoimmune diseases. Its applications continue to expand as researchers discover new ways to harness the immune system’s power.
Is immunotherapy a new treatment approach?
The concept of immunotherapy has been around for over a century, but its significant advancements have occurred in recent decades. With ongoing research and clinical trials, immunotherapy is becoming an increasingly important part of modern medicine.
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