The human body is a complex system of organs, tissues, cells, and proteins working together to keep our bodies functioning. One of the most intricate systems within the body is the immune system. It helps to protect you from diseases and infections by identifying unhealthy cells and other foreign substances like viruses. Unfortunately, the body sometimes has trouble identifying cancer cells as they can disguise themselves as healthy cells.
Cancer researchers have found ways to use your immune system to fight cancer. Because of this, your oncologist might recommend a category of drugs called immunotherapy as part of your treatment plan. These drugs help your body to identify and attack cancer cells while sparing healthy cells.
Cancer starts when normal, healthy cells change and grow uncontrollably. Since cancer cells come from normal cells, the immune system doesn’t always see them as a threat.
Even with a healthy immune system, people can still develop cancer because:
Researchers have figured out ways to help the immune system spot cancer cells and boost its response to wipe them out.
Immunotherapy, also called biological therapy, is a type of cellular therapy. It uses the body’s biological functions to fight cancer. It is a relatively new category of treatment being studied for more types of cancer due to its precision in treating cancer effectively while avoiding damage to healthy cells. This approach includes a variety of methods, such as boosting the natural defenses of your immune system or using lab-made immune system components to improve how your immune system works. Some of these treatments include:
Immune checkpoints balance the body’s cell production by preventing an overactive immune response that could harm normal cells. Proteins on the surface of immune cells recognize proteins on the surface of other cells. This tells the immune system the cell belongs in the body and turns off the immune response. Cancer cells can contain these proteins on their surface, allowing the immune system to mistake them for healthy cells. Immunotherapy empowers the immune system to identify and eliminate cancer cells that would otherwise go unnoticed.
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy involves reprogramming your T-cells to recognize and attack cancer cells more effectively. This is done by taking T-cells from your body, changing them in a lab to better respond to cancer cells, and reintroducing them into your bloodstream. It is approved for the treatment of some types of blood cancer, with many studies underway on how to use it for solid tumor cancers.
Listen to our podcast episode about CAR T-cell therapy.
In this episode of Cancer Care Connections, VOA’s Dr. Gary Simmons discusses CAR T-cell therapy, including how it could change the cancer treatment landscape.
Monoclonal antibodies are lab-engineered antibodies designed to target specific cancer cell proteins. They function similarly to how your body produces antibodies that recognize bacteria and viruses to trigger an immune response. These monoclonal antibodies will recognize the cancer cells they are designed to target.
Oncolytic viruses (OVs) selectively target and kill cancer cells while sparing normal ones. This treatment uses engineered viruses to stimulate your immune system to attack the disease.
Therapeutic cancer vaccines are designed to treat existing cancer by training the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. These vaccines introduce antigens associated with cancer to the body, prompting an immune response aimed at destroying cancerous cells.
Immunotherapy drugs continue to make significant advancements and are approved to treat many types of cancer.
Depending on the type of cancer, your oncologist may recommend biomarker testing. Biomarker testing looks for changes in the tumor's DNA, such as mutations, additions, deletions, or rearrangements. The presence or absence of biomarkers provides oncologists with insight into how effective immunotherapies will be for the patient. Biomarker testing is an important part of precision (sometimes called personalized) medicine.
Your oncologist will determine whether immunotherapy is appropriate based on the results of the biomarkers found in the cancer cells. In some cases, it’s not the first treatment. In others, it’s added to the treatment plan along with other therapies, such as targeted therapy.
Listen to our podcast episode about novel cancer treatments, including immunotherapy and targeted therapy.
In this episode, Dr. Graham Watson, oncologist at Virginia Oncology Associates, explains what fuels cancer growth and how immunotherapy and targeted therapy transform patient care.
The administration of immunotherapy is tailored to an individual's needs based on the specific type of cancer, its stage, and the patient’s unique response to treatment. Your cancer doctor will closely monitor you through physical exams and medical tests to determine the effectiveness of the therapy. In some cases, immunotherapy is used in combination with other treatments.
Depending on the treatment type, immunotherapy can be administered:
The specific schedule and method depend on multiple factors, including the type and stage of cancer, the prescribed immunotherapy, and your response to the treatment. Some patients may need to spend several hours in the treatment area, while others may need to stay in the hospital for an extended time.
The cancer specialists at Virginia Oncology Associates are here to work with you to create a personalized treatment plan for your diagnosis. We will consider all the treatment options available to you, including immunotherapy, for the best possible outcome. You can find our cancer centers in Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Suffolk (Harbour View and Obici), Virginia Beach, Williamsburg, Virginia, and Elizabeth City, North Carolina.