Immunotherapy
Groundbreaking Cancer Treatments in New Jersey
Cancer treatments have greatly advanced in the past 20 years, and immunotherapy is an exciting new area of cancer research. The emergence of immunotherapy, also called biological therapy or immuno-oncology, has proven a very successful cancer treatment, especially for certain types of advanced (metastatic) cancers. As a leader in cancer treatment in New Jersey, RWJBarnabas Health offers immunotherapy as a powerful way to attack cancer by harnessing the power of the immune system to attack cancer.
What Is the Immune System and How Does It Affect Cancer?
The immune system is the body’s defense against infections and diseases. It is mainly made up of white blood cells, organs, and lymph system tissues that work together to detect and destroy abnormal cells. The goal of immunotherapy is to help the body’s immune system by preventing, controlling, or eliminating cancer by activating the body’s natural defenses against cancer. Cancer cells differ from other diseases in that they are less visible to the immune system, or have proteins on their surface that deflect immune cells.
How Does Immunotherapy Work?
Immunotherapy can work in various ways, but the end goal is the same: to help the immune system destroy cancer cells better by using substances made either by the body or in a laboratory to improve the function of the immune system. Patients are usually given immunotherapy via an intravenous drip, but it may also be used orally, or topically.
The main immunotherapy treatment types for cancer patients include:
- Nonspecific immune stimulation. This stimulates the immune response in a general way. Drugs or other substances are used to increase the patient’s overall immune response to help kill cancer cells. The goal is to prevent the cancer from progressing or coming back.
- T-cell transfer therapy. T-cells are a type of immune cell. When T-cells are taken from a patient, they are then taken to a laboratory and changed so they are better able to target cancer cells and kill them. These specially changed T-cells are given back to the patient via an intravenous (IV) drip to fight their cancer.
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors. These drugs block immune “checkpoints,” which are a normal part of the immune system that keeps immune responses from being too strong and destroying the body’s healthy cells. When a patient is given immune checkpoint inhibitors, the goal is to help T-cells kill cancer cells by unlocking their ability to detect cancer cells’ altered surface proteins.
Can I Benefit from Immunotherapy?
It depends. Not all cancer types respond as well to immunotherapy as others, and immunotherapy is still not as widely used as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. For example, immunotherapy has proven more successful in treating cancers affecting the lungs, bladder, and skin cancers.
To schedule an appointment with one of our cancer specialists please call 844-CANCERNJ or 844-226-2376.
