What is immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that uses the body's immune system to combat diseases. Therapy is administered through proteins of the synthetic immune system or helps to function more efficiently by the body's immune system. These forms of therapy are often used, among other treatment, which help patients with cancer.
The immune system is responsible for protecting the body from harmful bacteria. It consists of organs, cells and substances that cooperate to achieve the target of a healthy body. The cells in the immune system and substances created by these cells move all over the body and constantly protect it from harmful bacteria.
Sometimes a resistant immune system is unable to identify cancer cells as foreign attackers. For this reason, cancer is able to slip through the line of defense and enter the body. Immunotherapy is one way of doctors trying to help the body fight cancer. They prescribe immunotherapy to some patients. There are two principle typesImmunotherapy: Active and passive. Active immunotherapy uses the immune system to combat the disease, while passive immunotherapy uses synthetic substances to help the immune system.
The popular form of passive immunotherapy is called the therapy of a monoclonal antibody. In this particular type of therapy, a huge amount of antibodies is created in the medical laboratory. Antibodies are injected into the patient's vein. Patients may have mild side effects of a similar allergic reaction. This may include headache, nausea, rashes, fever, diarrhea and other similar minor reactions.
Cancer vaccines are an active immunotherapy used by doctors for their cancer patients. Such vaccines work against viruses that cause cancer. They help the immune system to fight cancer that has attacked the body. The cancer vaccines consist of cellular parts, pure antigens or racine cells. Most cancer vaccines are in the experimental stage because scientists still learn about their effectiveness.
doctors also use other active immunotherapy in patients. Each method is designed to increase the ability of the body's immune system. One particular active therapy involves removing the tumor samples from the patient.
In this particular treatment there are tumors that have inside them, which are located by the immune system, those that are removed. Tumors are then reproduced in the laboratory and treated with interleukin-2, a substance that helps strengthen the immune system. Finally, the tumor cells are injected into the patient so that the cells can fight cancer.