Immunotherapy

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jan 2, 2024.

What is Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy refers to treatments that stimulate, enhance or suppress the body's own immune system.  

Immunotherapy is also called: 

• Biological therapy 
• Biological response modifier therapy 

Immunotherapy is used to treat certain types of cancer. It is also used to treat inflammatory diseases, such as. These include: 

• Rheumatoid arthritis 
• Inflammatory bowel diseases, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease  
• Multiple sclerosis  
• Psoriasis 

Our body's immune system recognizes cancer cells as foreign or abnormal. Unlike normal cells, cancer cells have unique proteins (antigens) on their outer surface. Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system. They latch onto the cancer cells' antigens. In this way, they label or tag the abnormal cells.  

Ideally, special cells in the immune system would be recruited to destroy the tagged cancer cells. Sometimes, however, the immune system needs some help. 

Biological therapy helps to stimulate the immune system to fight cancer. The chemicals used in immunotherapy often are called biological response modifiers. They enhance the body's normal immune-system reaction to a cancer threat.  

Some biological response modifiers are chemicals that occur naturally in the body. But they are produced in larger amounts in a laboratory to help boost a person's immune response.  

Biological response modifiers can play many different roles in fighting cancer. For example, they can:  

• Recruit more immune system cells to attack a tumor 
• Make cancer cells more vulnerable to an attack by the immune system 
• Change the way cancer cells grow 
• Coax cancer cells into behaving more like normal cells  

Immunotherapy also can be used to suppress the immune system. This is particularly helpful in autoimmune disorders. In these disorders, the immune system "misfires." It wrongly attacks normal tissues.  

Inflammation is useful for fighting infection. But in autoimmune diseases, it damages normal tissues. Biological therapies can cool off this harmful inflammation.  

Examples of biological therapies currently in use include:  

• Interferons. Boost the body's immune response. They also can act directly on cancer cells to control their rapid growth.  
• Interleukins. Stimulate growth of the body's immune cells, especially lymphocytes. Lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell.  
• Colony stimulating factors (CSFs). Encourage the growth of bone marrow stem cells. Bone-marrow stem cells, especially white blood cells, are needed to fight infections. But they often are destroyed by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation.  CSFs are used after other cancer therapies. They help to grow a new population of cells in the blood. 
• Monoclonal antibodies. These are made in a laboratory. They recognize the antigens on the surface of cancer cells.  Monoclonal antibodies can be used alone. Or they can be linked to anti-cancer drugs or to radioactive substances. They can carry these linked poisons directly to tumor cells inside the body.   Some antibodies acting alone can significantly interfere with cancer cells. They can stop them from growing. Or they can cause them to be destroyed by the body's immune system. Monoclonal antibodies spare the body's normal cells.  Monoclonal antibodies also may help people with autoimmune diseases. They target immune cells or chemical messengers involved in inflammation. Monoclonal antibodies may reduce inflammation and pain, which helps improve joint function in people with rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis. 

What It's Used For

Different biological response modifiers are currently being used against many different types of cancer.  

Interferons have been used to treat: 

• Kidney cancer 
• Kaposi's sarcoma 
• Melanoma  
• Certain types of leukemia and lymphoma

Interleukin-2 (IL-2) may be effective for kidney cancer and advanced melanoma.  

Rituximab (Rituxan) is a monoclonal antibody. It is used to treat non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia. This treatment is also used for autoimmune and inflammatory conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, that are not responding to other agents.  

Other examples of monoclonal antibody treatments include: 

• Tocilizumab (Actemra) for rheumatoid arthritis  
• Trastuzumab (Herceptin) for breast cancer  

Anti-TNF therapy inhibits the production of tumor necrosis factor. It is one of the most effective treatments for rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease and other inflammatory diseases when conventional drugs fail.  

Examples of some anti-TNF medications include: 

• Adalimumab (Humira) 
• Certolizumab (Cimzia) 
• Etanercept (Enbrel) 
• Golimumab (Simponi) 
• ‎Infliximab (Remicade) 

Preparation

Before treatment with interferon, your doctor will; 

• Ask if you have a history of heart disease  
• Ask about medication allergies  
• Order blood tests, including tests of liver function and levels of various blood cells. 

Your doctor also will ask about any history of depression or other psychiatric problems. Interferon has been associated with an increased risk of depression and possibly suicide. 

Screening for exposure to tuberculosis (TB) and chronic hepatitis is done before treatment with many biological therapies. Your doctor also will ask whether you have had any: 

• Recent infections 
• Heart disease 
• Lung disease 
• Cancer  
• Nervous system diseases 

How It's Done

Some immunotherapies require visiting a health center for intravenous (IV) infusions, while many others are given by injection. A medical professional will show you how to prepare the needle and syringe. You will be taught how to inject yourself.  

A family member or other caregiver can learn the injection technique as well. He or she can give you the injection if you feel too weak or ill to give it to yourself. 

Follow-Up

Your doctor may use many different tests to monitor the effects of your treatment. These include: 

• Physical examinations 
• Blood tests 
• X-rays  
• Scans 

Risks

Risks and side effects of biotherapy include: 

• Swelling  
• Redness or infection at the injection site  
• Rashes  
• Allergic reactions  
• Flulike symptoms, such as: 
  • Fever 
  • Muscle aches 
  • Chills  
  • Fatigue  
• Digestive problems  
• Changes in blood pressure  
• Heart inflammation 
• Kidney failure 
• Low levels of white (infection-fighting) blood cells  
• Thinning hair  
• Infection, including TB, especially in people with prior exposure 

Interferons may be associated with depression and suicidal thoughts.  

Trastuzumab (Herceptin) can cause the heart to pump less vigorously leading to heart failure. Usually heart function will improve when the drug is stopped.  

When To Call a Professional

Call your doctor immediately if you develop:  

• Pain  
• Redness or swelling at the injection site  
• A rash or hives  
• Light-headedness  
• Difficulty breathing  
• A tight feeling in your throat  
• Fever, cough or flulike symptoms  
• Any other problems that your doctor may warn you about  
• Also, call your doctor at the first sign of depression. Call even if you think it might just be a passing case of the blues. 

Additional Info

Clinicaltrials.gov
https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/

American Cancer Society (ACS)
https://www.cancer.org/

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Medical Disclaimer