Immunotherapies
Immunotherapies (pronounced: im-yuh-noh-THER-uh-pee) are a type of cancer treatment that assist or stimulate the immune system to fight cancer. The term originates from the Latin immunis meaning "exempt" and the Greek therapeia meaning "service, medical treatment".
Types of Immunotherapies
There are several types of immunotherapies, including:
- Monoclonal antibodies: These are man-made versions of immune system proteins. They can be designed to attack a specific part of a cancer cell.
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors: These drugs basically take the 'brakes' off the immune system, which helps it recognize and attack cancer cells.
- Cancer vaccines: Vaccines are substances put into the body to start an immune response against certain diseases. We usually think of them as being given to healthy people to help prevent infections. But some vaccines can help prevent or treat cancer.
- Non-specific immunotherapies: These treatments boost the immune system in a general way, but this can still help the immune system attack cancer cells.
Side Effects
Like all treatments, immunotherapies can cause side effects. The side effects you may have from immunotherapy depend on the type of immunotherapy you receive. However, not everyone gets the same side effects, and some people might not get any side effects.
See Also
- Cancer
- Immune system
- Monoclonal antibodies
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors
- Cancer vaccines
- Non-specific immunotherapies
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on Immunotherapies
- Wikipedia's article - Immunotherapies
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