Immunotherapy for Cancer: Who It Is Suitable For and How It Works
Immunotherapy is the fastest growing and most promising area of oncology. It is associated with upcoming breakthroughs in cancer treatment. Immunotherapeutic drugs have already proven effective in treating many oncological diseases. The principle of immunotherapy for cancer is based on the fact that a person's immune system, under the influence of treatment, begins to more effectively combat tumors. For this, it is enough to teach it to recognize tumor antigens and artificially enhance immune responses.
Immunotherapeutic Techniques
Dozens of methods of cancer immunotherapy have already been developed. Drugs for treating oncological diseases are administered in the form of injections, pills, creams, and some are made from patients' blood.
Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have become the most common group of agents for immunotherapy. In developed countries, dozens of drugs have been registered that work by preventing tumors from evading attacks from the immune system and masking themselves as normal cells.
Other methods of immunotherapy include:
- Cytokines
- Dozens of types of anticancer vaccines, including dendritic cell vaccines
- Oncolytic viruses
- Conjugated and 'naked' antibodies
- TIL therapy
- CAR T-cell therapy
Immunotherapy integrates well with other cancer treatment methods, increasing their effectiveness. In some oncological diseases, immunotherapy works better than other forms of drug treatment, for example, in melanoma, kidney, and lung cancer.
Areas of Application in Cancer
Almost no oncological diseases remain where immunotherapy is not used. It is included in the standard treatment protocols for most types of cancer. In many diseases, immunotherapy is used at the final stage, as it is a systemic treatment method, but it can also be applied after surgery to reduce the risk of recurrence.
A huge number of immunotherapy methods are still under investigation. They will become part of standard treatment in the coming years, but for now, these innovations can only be accessed within clinical trials.
How Treatment Proceeds
Immunotherapy includes a variety of techniques, so treatment can be conducted in different ways. For example, ICIs are administered intravenously once every 2-6 weeks. Dendritic cell vaccines are made from the patient’s blood over 2-3 weeks and are then injected subcutaneously 3-5 times. When using CAR T-cell therapy, a personalized preparation consisting of modified immune cells is also required. This process takes about a month, and during the drug's administration, the patient remains hospitalized to receive adequate assistance in case of excessive immune reactions.
Most methods of immunotherapy are minimally toxic. Treatment is generally better tolerated than, for example, traditional cytostatic chemotherapy, and has fewer contraindications.
If you want to undergo diagnostics and take advantage of modern immunotherapy methods, you can consider traveling abroad. Check treatment prices abroad on the Booking Health website. Here you can obtain information about the best hospitals and doctors, choose a clinic, compare service costs, and schedule appointments for convenient dates. The staff at Booking Health will help you find an appropriate oncology center based on your diagnosis and organize your trip.
