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Immunotherapy is different from chemotherapy.
Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment. It can boost or change how the immune system fights cancer cells. There are different types of immunotherapy. The most common type is checkpoint inhibitors. Another type is called bispecific antibodies.
Checkpoints are proteins that stop the immune system from killing cancer cells. Checkpoint inhibitors are drugs that block these proteins. This allows the immune system to attack and kill the cancer cells. *
Bispecific antibodies attach to two different cells at the same time: a T-cell (a part of your immune system) and a cancer cell. Bispecific antibodies bring the two cells together so the immune system can attack the cancer cells.
How does immunotherapy work?
Immunotherapy drugs boost the body's T-cells, a type of white blood cell. T-cells fight diseases, infections, and viruses. They can kill cancer cells.
Immunotherapy can:
- improve your symptoms
- delay or prevent new symptoms
- help you live longer.
Immunotherapy does not harm healthy cells. Chemotherapy drugs will often damage or kill healthy cells.
It can take many treatments before your doctor can tell if immunotherapy is working. Your cancer may get worse before it gets better. The length of your treatment depends on your type of cancer and the side effects you may have. You continue treatment as long as it is helping and you can handle any side effects.
If you have any questions about preparing for your treatment, please talk to your health care team.
* Canadian Cancer Society, n.d. Glossary – Checkpoint Inhibitor: https://cancer.ca/en/cancer-information/resources/glossary/c/checkpoint-inhibitor-glossary
