Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that encourages the immune system to work more effectively in fighting diseases, including cancer. This treatment can be given through an IV, oral medication, topical cream, or injected directly into the bladder of cancer sufferers.
Immunotherapy is said to be able to slow down, stop the growth of cancer cells, and prevent them from spreading to other organs. A number of cancers, such as skin, lung, kidney, bladder, and lymphoma, have been shown to be treatable with immunotherapy. Some types of advanced cancer, such as stage 4 cervical cancer, can also sometimes be treated with immunotherapy.
Reasons for Using Immunotherapy to Treat Cancer
One of the reasons that makes cancer cells difficult to treat is that the immune system sometimes can't recognize them as foreign. Some cancer cells are so similar to normal cells that the immune system doesn't attack them.
Although the immune system can recognize cancer cells, its response is sometimes not strong enough to kill them. Moreover, the development of cancer cells is very fast and uncontrolled.
Treatment with immunotherapy is done so that the immune system is smarter to recognize cancer cells and strengthens the immune system's response to cancer cells, so that the development of malignant cells can be slowed or even stopped.
Immunotherapy is chosen as a cancer treatment for the following reasons:
- Immunotherapy is considered more effective than other cancer treatments, such as radiation or chemotherapy, especially in skin cancer.
- Immunotherapy can help make other treatments effective. For example, chemotherapy may perform better when the patient is also undergoing immunotherapy.
- Immunotherapy has fewer side effects than other treatments, because immunotherapy makes the immune system attack only cancer cells specifically.
- Immunotherapy can minimize cancer reappearance, because this treatment triggers immunomemory, which is the immune system's ability to remember cancer cells, so they will be attacked when they reappear.
Various Types of Immunotherapy
In the treatment of cancer, there are several types of immunotherapy that can be used, namely:
1. Monoclonal antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies are artificial immune proteins. This protein is specially designed to be able to mark cancer cells specifically, so that it can kill malignant cells without destroying healthy cells.
2. Checkpoint inhibitor
Checkpoint inhibitor is a drug that can help the immune system in responding to cancer cells. The way it works is by interfering with the ability of cancer cells to evade attacks by the immune system.
3. Vaxin
A vaccine is a substance that is injected into the body to induce an immune response to a disease. In cancer treatment, vaccines can be used both to prevent and to treat cancer.
4. Non-specific immunotherapy
Non-specific immunotherapy is a type of immunotherapy that can improve the overall performance of the immune system. Several types of immune system-boosting substances that are commonly used are cytokines and BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guerin).
Considering the Negative Effects of Immunotherapy
Some of the common side effects that occur during treatment are pain, swelling, redness, itching, and a rash on the skin at the injection site. In addition, flu symptoms may also appear, such as fever, dizziness, muscle aches, and headaches.
These side effects may vary from patient to patient, depending on their medical condition, the type of cancer they have, the type of immunotherapy administered, and the dose given.
In addition to having side effects, immunotherapy also has a number of other risks, namely:
Potential to damage other organs
Some types of immunotherapy can make the immune system attack other organs, such as the heart, intestines, lungs, and kidneys.
Therapy results are not always fast
In some cases, immunotherapy can last longer than other cancer treatments.
Not necessarily suitable for everyone
In some people, immunotherapy does not kill cancer cells, but only makes them stop growing. However, the cause is unknown.
The possibility of cancer cells growing again
The body can become resistant to this therapy, where some initial therapies can give positive results, but then the cancer cells grow again.
In addition to having benefits, immunotherapy also has risks. Therefore, discuss with your doctor in detail before you decide to undergo immunotherapy as a cancer treatment.
