How Immunotherapy Works to Cancer

Immunotherapy, also known as biologic therapy, is a type of cancer treatment that boosts the body's own immune system to fight cancer. It is based on the principle that the immune system is capable of recognizing and eliminating cancer cells, but sometimes needs help to do so.

Here's how immunotherapy works to fight cancer:

1. Activation of Immune Cells:

- Immunotherapy works by activating or enhancing the function of specific immune cells, particularly T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. These cells play a crucial role in recognizing and destroying cancer cells.

2. Immune Checkpoint Blockade:

- Some cancer cells develop molecules called "checkpoint proteins," which act as brakes on the immune system and prevent it from attacking them. Immunotherapy drugs called checkpoint inhibitors block these checkpoint proteins, releasing the brakes and allowing the immune cells to target and kill cancer cells.

- Examples of checkpoint inhibitors include drugs that target the PD-1, PD-L1, and CTLA-4 proteins.

3. Adoptive Cell Therapy (ACT):

- ACT involves collecting immune cells from the patient, genetically engineering them to enhance their cancer-fighting capabilities, and then infusing them back into the patient. These engineered immune cells, such as chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells, can effectively target and eliminate cancer cells.

4. Cancer Vaccines:

- Cancer vaccines work by stimulating the immune system to recognize and target specific antigens found on cancer cells. These vaccines are designed to elicit an immune response against the cancer cells and help the immune system remember and destroy them.

5. Oncolytic Viruses:

- Oncolytic viruses are genetically modified viruses that can selectively infect and destroy cancer cells. Once inside the cancer cells, these viruses replicate and cause the cells to burst, releasing tumor-specific antigens that activate the immune system against cancer.

By harnessing the body's own immune system, immunotherapy offers a personalized and targeted approach to cancer treatment. While it can be effective in treating various types of cancer, the response to immunotherapy can vary among individuals, and some patients may experience immune-related side effects. As research continues, immunotherapy remains a promising field in cancer treatment, offering new hope for patients and improving treatment outcomes.