How Does Immunotherapy Work?

Immunotherapy is used to fight cancer with the goal that your immune system will be able to recognise and destroy cancer cells. This type of treatment also helps the patient to overcome side effects caused from other treatments such as chemotherapy.

Immunotherapy works by using substances naturally produced by your immune system to help attack infections and diseases such as cancer. This can be done either by introducing man-made immune system proteins to your immune system or by programming your immune system to work in a smarter way to fight cancer cells.

While Immunotherapy can be a very effective way of treating cancer, it all depends on how far the cancer has spread and what other treatments you may be receiving.

Immunotherapy treatments vary based on the individual patient and the type of cancer being treated. Some treatments encourage the immune system to generally work harder, while others train the immune system to specifically attack cancer cells.

Immunotherapy is more effective for some cancers than others. For some cancers, it can be used as a standalone treatment, while in other cancers it works best in conjunction with other treatments such as chemotherapy.

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