Immunotherapy

What is Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy (biotherapy) is a very new way of treatment that uses different parts of our immune system for the treatment of the diseases that also include cancers of different kinds. But the thing is that immunotherapy is still in its progressive stage; it is not that much advance as other cancer treatments. The researchers are gathering more and more information about our immune system. The more they know, the more steps will be taken in the advancement of immunotherapy and soon it will become the major treatment option for treating cancers.

How it is administered?

There are two ways Immunotherapy can be done:

Active

It is done by different drugs, which stimulate and improve the patient’s present immune system. So that it can fight the cancer.

Passive

In passive immunotherapy, it includes synthetic protein that is made in a laboratory. Then, this protein is given to the patient that balances his/her present immune system is missing.  

Recently, for the treatment of mesothelioma passive immunotherapy is used because it looks for a specific kind of antigen to stimulate it and not to improve the whole immune system. The use of immunotherapy for the treatment of mesothelioma is still in the phase of clinical trials. Therefore, if a patient wants to opt for this way of treatment, he should go through trial phases to determine whether he is qualified or not. On the other hand, U.S. FDA (Food and Drug Administration) has approved several monoclonal antibodies (mAb or moAb) for the treatment of cancers which also includes Avastin. Avastin was approved by FDA in February 2004 for treating mesothelioma. This drug is used with the combination of chemotherapy for a multimodal regimen. The doctors have hopes that it will extend the life expectancy of a mesothelioma patient.

Immunotherapy also uses cancer vaccinations eliminate the cancer or either to prevent the disease. FDA has not approved any treatment vaccines in U.S. yet. But there are two preventive vaccinations that have been approved by FDA. It is currently reported, a group of Dutch doctors have developed the first treatment vaccination for mesothelioma cancer. They have reported their conclusions and findings to American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine (AJRCCM). Lysate-pulsed dendritic cells are used in this vaccine to stimulate the immune system of the mesothelioma patient. The good news is that it shows tremendously positive results during clinical trials!