Cancer immunotherapy is a form of chemotherapy that involves boosting the immune system to attack and destroy tumor cells. Immune cells produce proteins that fight disease, and cancer cells are no exception. Scientists have created cancer vaccines that target cancer cells specifically. These drugs are administered by injection and work by triggering the immune system to attack cancer cells. In a laboratory setting, researchers have developed antibodies that are capable of targeting tumor cells. This means cancer immunotherapy is one of the most effective forms of treatment for cancer.
Although cancer immunotherapy is highly effective for some types of cancers, some patients still experience side effects. Some patients experience flu-like symptoms, while others suffer from diarrhea and stuffy nose. Most side effects subside after the first treatment. Patients should discuss the side effects of their treatment with their doctors, since many patients are sensitive to the medication. The immune system can also become reprogrammed to attack cancer cells that re-appear.
Adoptive cell transfer has also become a promising form of cancer immunotherapy. This treatment modality uses patients’ own T cells to attack tumor cells. These cells are isolated from the patient’s peripheral blood and lymph nodes and expanded ex vivo before being adopted. These immunotherapy treatments are now available and are a viable option for treating cancer. And many patients are responding to the therapy. So, cancer immunotherapy is becoming an increasingly attractive option.
In addition to identifying potential targets, research has shown that a cancer-specific immune response is crucial to boosting the immune system. Despite the advances in immunotherapy for cancer, many cancers develop multiple mechanisms to fight off chemotherapy. These include induction of tolerance, local immune evasion, and systemic disruption of T-cell signaling. For example, the immune recognition of malignant cells imposes a selective pressure on the developing neoplasm, resulting in an outgrowth of less immunogenic cells and apoptosis-resistant cancers.
While there are many promising cancer immunotherapy treatments in clinical trials, some of them remain in the early stages. During clinical trials, the immunotherapy has been used as a single therapy or combined with chemotherapy. The recent approval of anti-CTLA-4 antibody for the treatment of melanoma has led to increased interest in the field. The treatment of melanoma with this antibody has been particularly successful. Further trials are underway that aim to increase the effectiveness of immunotherapy.
The effectiveness of immunotherapy in a minority of patients is questionable. Current agents have shown promising results in just 15 to 20% of cases. Regardless of how effective the current treatments are, researchers are still trying to crack the code on how to predict which patients will respond best to them. For now, this is an important research area. But before deciding to invest in immunotherapy, it’s important to understand what the risks and benefits are.
Aiming for optimal tumor-specific immune response is essential. While the ideal cancer vaccine triggers maturation of the DCs and promotes production of tumor-reactive CD8+ cytotoxic T cells, the optimal conditions for immunization are not yet known. In addition, tumors may have developed mechanisms to protect themselves against T-cell attack, which limits the efficacy of the vaccine. Therefore, cancer immunotherapy requires careful study.
