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Immunotherapy

Treatments

  Chemotherapy   Immunotherapy   Targeted Therapy   Hormonal Therapy   Palliative Therapy   Procedures

Hospital Information

Enquiry Number   0261-2240974   0261-2242862 Opening Hours   Monday - Saturday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM   Sunday - Closed

IMMUNOTHERAPY

  • Cancer Immunotherapy is using the body’s immune system to fight cancer. The immune system refers to the natural defenses of the body against diseases.

  • Research has shown that the immune system plays a fundamental role in cancer control. The body’s immune system patrols the body for any cancer cells and kills them if it finds them. If the immune system fails in its duty, cancer develops. However, the ability of the immune system to fight cancer can be “boosted” using various technologies. This field of anticancer therapy is called “cancer immunotherapy”.The responses with this therapy are more durable. Side effects are far less than that of chemotherapy.It may be used alone or in conjunction with other cancer treatments such as chemotherapy.

  • Subtypes of therapy


  •   Checkpoint inhibitors - The flow of signals to T-cells is controlled by checkpoint proteins and other proteins, which instruct the cells when to switch on and off. To eliminate malignant cells, T cells activate. They switch off to protect healthy cells.

  •   Adoptive cell therapy (T-cell transfer therapy) - Your T lymphocytes, or T-cells, are modified during chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell treatment to make them more effective cancer-fighting units.

  •   Cancer vaccines - Your body is protected against several infections by vaccinations. The vaccine concept is being utilized for treating some cancers like prostate cancer.

  •   Immune system modulators - Biologic response modifiers, commonly known as immunomodulatory medicines, are pharmaceuticals that modulate your immune system to destroy some specific cells.

  • Benefits of Immunotherapy


  •   In comparison to chemotherapy or surgery, immunotherapies are generally still utilized for the treatment of cancer less frequently. But for some cancer types, these medications are starting to play a key role in therapy.

  •   Immunotherapies have the potential to be both more effective and less dangerous than other types of cancer treatment because they employ the body’s innate ability to fight the tumor.

  •   Duration of response is more than that of other therapies.

  • Downside of Immunotherapy


  •   It may take more than a few cycles to see a response with immunotherapy

  •   The side effects may sometimes be serious due to immune activation against normal cells of the body.

  • PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors


  • PD-1 is a checkpoint protein on immune cells called T cells. It normally acts as a type of “off switch” that helps keep the T cells from attacking other cells in the body. It does this when it attaches to PD-L1, a protein on some normal (and cancer) cells. When PD-1 binds to PD-L1 at deactivates T cells. Some cancer cells have large amounts of PD-L1, which helps them hide from an immune attack.

  • Monoclonal antibodies that target either PD-1 or PD-L1 can block this binding and boost the immune response against cancer cells.

  • PD-1 inhibitors

  • Examples of drugs that target PD-1 include:

  •   Pembrolizumab (Keytruda)

  •   Nivolumab (Opdivo)

  •   Cemiplimab (Libtayo)

  • PD-L1 inhibitors

  • Examples of drugs that target PD-L1 include:

  •   Atezolizumab (Tecentriq)

  •   Avelumab (Bavencio)

  •   Durvalumab (Imfinzi)

  • Both PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors have been shown to help treat many different types of cancer.

  • CTLA-4 inhibitors

  • CTLA-4 is another checkpoint protein on some T cells that acts as a type of “off switch” to help keep the immune system in check.

  • Ipilimumab (Yervoy) and tremelimumab (Imjuno) are monoclonal antibodies that attach to CTLA-4 and stop it from working. This can help boost the body’s immune response against cancer cells.

  • These drugs are typically used along with a PD-1 or PD-L1 inhibitor. These combinations can be used to treat several types of cancer.

  • Side effects of checkpoint inhibitors

  • Infusion reactions : Some people might have an infusion reaction while getting these drugs. This is like an allergic reaction and can include fever, chills, flushing of the face, rash, itchy skin, feeling dizzy, wheezing, and trouble breathing.

  • Autoimmune reactions : By targeting a checkpoint protein, these drugs remove one of the safeguards on the body's immune system. Sometimes the immune system responds by attacking other parts of the body, which can cause serious or even life-threatening problems in the lungs, intestines, liver, hormone-making glands, kidneys, or other organs.

Do’s & Don’ts during treatments

  • Do’s
  •   Rest Well

  •   Eat wisely

  •   Stay Active

  •   Reduce stress

  • Don’ts
  •   Skip big meals

  •   Smoke or drink

FAQs

  •   Can cancer be cured by immunotherapy?
  •       No, however, cancer can be controlled for a long duration with immunotherapy, extending life.

  •   What advantages does immunotherapy have?
  •       For cancers that have not responded to conventional therapy or that have returned after conventional therapy, immunotherapy may be a useful treatment.

  •   What are the dangers or issues?
  •       Not all cancers respond well to immunotherapy, and not everyone who receives it will have success.