Immunotherapy; It aims to stop the growth and spread of cancerous cells or to completely eliminate the cell by raising the body's immune system to make more precise, effective and stronger attacks against cancerous cells. Immunotherapy is not preferred in early stage cancers. This method is often used in stage 4 cancers, in which the disease has spread to other organs. The drugs to be used in this treatment are given to the patient through a vein.
Immunotherapy Uses One's Own Immune System
In the fight against cancer, apart from radiotherapy and chemotherapy, the person's own immune system can also be used for treatment. This treatment, which helps to destroy cancer cells by supporting body resistance, is called immunotherapy. Immunotherapy aims to stop the growth and spread of cancerous cells or to completely eliminate the cell by raising the body's immune system to make more precise, effective and stronger attacks against cancerous cells. The immune system often identifies cancerous cells and prevents the development of these cells with its attack mechanism, but in some cases, various types of cancer disable the body's defense mechanism. Thus, cancerous cells, which do not encounter any defense mechanism, multiply uncontrollably and spread over a larger area.
In Which Cancer Types Can Immunotherapy Be Used?
Immunotherapy can be used in the treatment of many types of cancer. With the new generation immunotherapy drugs produced, significant successes are achieved in small cell and non-small cell lung, head and neck, melanoma, kidney, bladder cancers, and some subgroups of breast and colon cancers. Today, especially in some types of melanoma and lung cancer, complete healing can be achieved even in advanced stage disease, without the use of chemotherapy, but only with immunotherapies that stimulate the immune system.
Are There Any Side Effects of Immunotherapy?
The side effects of new generation immunotherapy drugs are much less and manageable than traditional chemotherapies. In this method, problems such as hair loss, nausea and vomiting that develop during chemotherapy do not seriously reduce the quality of life. Side effects such as fatigue, diarrhea and fever are most common with immunotherapy. Autoimmune reactions such as thyroiditis, hepatitis, pancreatitis, conjunctivitis (inflammation of the conjunctiva layer of the eye), hypophysitis (inflammation of the pituitary gland) and arthritis can occur, but these are extremely rare. All these effects can often be controlled with drug treatments.
Immunotherapy Treats in 3 Ways…
1) Monoclonal Antibody
The body's defense mechanism goes into defense against any substance it deems foreign and harmful. As soon as these substances are detected in the body, structures called protein-structured antibodies are produced by the immune system for protection. Monoclonal antibodies are structures that are produced in a laboratory environment and injected into the body through a vein when the body cannot produce antibodies. These antibodies are a type of immunotherapy that aims to destroy the cancerous cell or prevent its development by determining the location of the cancerous cell in the body and acting on the surface of the cell or the area hosting the cell. Moreover; Along with the radioactive substances it carries, it can also be used for the diagnosis of cancer types such as ovarian and prostate cancer.
2) Non-Specific Immunotherapy
It is another type of immunotherapy given to the patient simultaneously with or after chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatments. Non-specific immunotherapy is grouped in two different ways:
Interferon: It is a type of protein produced in the laboratory to strengthen the immune system. It has side effects. From the moment this type of immunotherapy is applied to the patient; Conditions such as headache, fatigue, nausea can be seen.
Interleukin: It is an immunotherapy mostly used in the treatment of melanoma type skin cancer and kidney cancers. After it is applied to the patient; Conditions such as high blood pressure, weight gain, nausea, headache can be seen.
3) Cancer Vaccines
It is an application that activates the immune system with an antigen injected into the body in order to trigger the working mechanism of the immune system. It consists of two types of vaccines:
Protection vaccine: It is the vaccination process applied to raise awareness of the body's defense mechanism against conditions such as cervical cancer caused by HPV (Human papilloma virus). Hepatitis B vaccine can also be counted in this group.
Treatment vaccine: It is a type of vaccine that is injected into the body for the immune system to recognize and fight cancer and to prevent its recurrence.