Immunotherapy is a method of treatment in which the body’s immune system is activated to control the disease or rather to fight a disease. Active immunotherapy is a type of immunotherapy that aims to stimulate the immune system. Cancer immunotherapy is used either when other modalities of cancer treatment (such as surgery, chemotherapy, etc.) have not worked or it is used as an additional treatment. Several methods of cancer immunotherapy such as immune checkpoint inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, adoptive T cell transfer, cancer vaccines, immunomodulators, and oncolytic virus therapy are available. Although this method is clinically recognized, it can also have a number of side effects.

Types of Immunotherapy for cancer treatment

• Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
• T-Cell Transfer Therapy
• Monoclonal Antibodies
• Treatment Vaccines
• Immune System Modulators

Benefits of Immunotherapy

• If surgery, chemotherapy do not work in the treatment of cancer, then immunotherapy can prove to be effective. For example, some cancers (such as skin cancer) do not respond well to radiation or chemotherapy, but may respond well to immunotherapy agents.
• In cases where the cancer is not responding well to other treatments, immunotherapy may help the main course of treatment work better.
• Immunotherapy has very few side effects, as it targets the immune system and not cancer cells.

Side effect of Immunotherapy

• Headache
• Skin Reactions
• Shortness of Breath
• Diarrhea
• Weight Gain
• Cough and Congestion
• Fever and Weakness