Biological therapy
Biological therapy uses the body's immune system to fight cancer. The cells, antibodies, and organs of the immune system work to protect and defend the body against foreign invaders, such as bacteria or viruses. Physicians and researchers have found that the immune system might also be able to both determine the difference between healthy cells and cancer cells in the body, and to eliminate the cancer cells.
Biological therapies are designed to boost the immune system, either directly or indirectly, by assisting in the following:
making cancer cells more recognizable by the immune system, and therefore more susceptible to destruction by the immune system
boosting the killing power of immune system cells.
changing the way cancer cells grow, so that they act more like healthy cells
stopping the process that changes a normal cell into a cancerous cell
enhancing the body's ability to repair or replace normal cells damaged or destroyed by other forms of cancer treatment, such as chemotherapy or radiation
preventing cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps your immune system fight cancer. The immune system helps your body fight infections and other diseases. It is made up of white blood cells and organs and tissues of the lymph system.
As part of its normal function, the immune system detects and destroys abnormal cells and most likely prevents or curbs the growth of many cancers. For instance, immune cells are sometimes found in and around tumors. These cells, called tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes or TILs, are a sign that the immune system is responding to the tumor.
Even though the immune system can prevent or slow cancer growth, cancer cells have ways to avoid destruction by the immune system.
Types of immunotherapy
Immune checkpoint inhibitors, which are drugs that block immune checkpoints. These checkpoints are a normal part of the immune system and keep immune responses from being too strong.
T-cell transfer therapy, which is a treatment that boosts the natural ability of your T cells to fight cancer. In this treatment, immune cells are taken from your tumor.
Monoclonal antibodies, which are immune system proteins created in the lab that are designed to bind to specific targets on cancer cells.
Treatment vaccines, which work against cancer by boosting your immune system’s response to cancer cells.
Immune system modulators, which enhance the body’s immune response against cancer.