Immunotherapy
What is Immunotherapy?
Historically, treatment options available for cancer included surgery, chemotherapy, radiation, and targeted therapy. Immunotherapy – also referred to as Immuno-Oncology, or I-O therapy – is showing great promise in the cancer field as a way to treat certain cancers. With “Immuno” as a reference to the immune system, Immunotherapy uses drugs that target a body’s own immune system to help fight cancer.
Although Immunotherapy has been around for 30 years, significant advancements have occurred in the last year. The FDA has approved new Immunotherapies for many cancers and a number of new approvals are expected in the coming year and with over 900 Immunotherapy clinical trials active today, more FDA approvals are likely in the future. There is enthusiasm in this area due to the significant number of patients that have had responses and long-lasting remissions that have not previously been seen within cancer care.
Cancers treated at MCA with Immunotherapy include …
As research develops, Immunotherapy will be used to treat other tumor sites.
How Immunotherapy Works against Cancer
One reason that cancer cells thrive is because they are able to hide from your immune system. Certain immunotherapies can mark cancer cells so it is easier for the immune system to find and destroy them. Other immunotherapies boost your immune system to work better against cancer.