Immunotherapy is a type of medical treatment that harnesses the power of the body's immune system to fight diseases. Immunotherapy can be used to enhance the immune system's natural ability to identify and destroy abnormal or harmful cells.
Immunotherapy can offer several advantages, such as potentially fewer side effects compared to traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
Common kinds:
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Allergy Immunotherapy: For individuals with allergies, immunotherapy may involve allergy shots or allergy drops, which gradually expose the immune system to allergens to reduce allergic responses over time.
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Autoimmune Disease Treatment: Immunotherapy can be used to suppress the immune response. This can include the use of corticosteroids, disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs/), and biologics.
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Cancer Immunotherapy: Immunotherapy is used to treat various types of cancer, including via immune checkpoint inhibitors, Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapy, immune-boosting proteins such as interleukins and interferons, and monoclonal antibodies.
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Vaccines: Immunotherapy-based vaccines are being developed to treat or prevent certain diseases, including cancer.
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Gene Therapy: Gene-based immunotherapies involve modifying a patient's genes to enhance their immune system's ability to fight disease. This approach is experimental.