Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps the immune system fight cancer more effectively. Unlike traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, which target cancer cells directly, immunotherapy cancer treatment empowers the body’s own immune defenses. This approach can be less harmful to healthy cells and more effective in the long term. Here is how Dr. Joydeep Ghosh explains the concept as the best oncologist in Kolkata.
Types of Immunotherapies
Checkpoint Inhibitors
Checkpoint inhibitors are drugs that help T cells recognize and attack cancer cells, which often use certain proteins, called checkpoints, to avoid being attacked by the immune system. Checkpoint inhibitors block these proteins, allowing T cells to do their job. Examples include drugs like pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo).
CAR T-Cell Therapy
CAR T-cell therapy is a personalized immunotherapy cancer treatment that involves modifying a patient’s own T cells to better recognize and attack cancer. T-cells are taken from the patient’s blood, genetically modified to express chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) and then infused back into the patient. These modified cells can now target and destroy cancer cells more effectively.
Cancer Vaccines
Cancer vaccines work similarly to traditional vaccines but are designed to treat cancer. They stimulate the immune system to recognize cancer cells as threats. Some vaccines are made from a patient’s own cancer cells, while others use specific proteins found on cancer cells.
Monoclonal Antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies are lab-made proteins that can bind to specific targets on cancer cells. Once attached, they can recruit other parts of the immune system to destroy the cancer cells. Some monoclonal antibodies mark cancer cells so that the immune system can recognize and attack them more easily.
Benefits of Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy offers several advantages over traditional cancer treatments:
- Targeted Approach: It specifically targets cancer cells, reducing damage to normal cells.
- Long-lasting Effects: It can provide long-term protection by training the immune system to remember and attack cancer cells if they return.
- Broader Applications: It has shown promise in treating various types of cancers, including those that are resistant to other treatments.
Conclusion
Immunotherapy represents a groundbreaking approach to cancer treatment, leveraging the body’s natural defenses to combat the disease. With continued research and advancements, this innovative therapy holds the potential to transform cancer care, offering hope to many patients. Dr. Joydeep Ghosh, is the best oncologist in Kolkata offering immunotherapy for cancer and is therefore leading by examples when it comes to providing cutting-edge treatments, helping to pave the way for a brighter, cancer-free future.