To say “cancer treatment has improved” is quite an understatement. Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation were once the only options, but nowadays, immunotherapy has helped doctors fight cancer by using the patient’s own immune system. While it’s not a one-size-fits-all treatment, it has given hope to millions facing aggressive or recurring cancer.
People hear about immunotherapy and wonder how it works, what types of cancer it treats, and why some patients see better results than others. The costs, side effects, and long-term impact raise even more questions. This tell-all guide to immunotherapy breaks it all down, so patients and loved ones can understand what to expect and what to ask their doctors.
Commonly Asked Questions About Immunotherapy for Cancer
Read on to get the answers to these questions:
- What Is Immunotherapy?
- How Does Immunotherapy Work?
- What Types of Cancer Can Immunotherapy Treat?
- What Are the Benefits of Immunotherapy?
- How Will I Feel? What Are the Risks and Side Effects?
- Who Is a Candidate for Immunotherapy?
- How Effective Is Immunotherapy?
- Can You Combine Immunotherapy With Other Treatments?
- How Long Does Immunotherapy Treatment Last?
- How Is Immunotherapy Given?
- When Does Treatment Stop?
- Can Immunotherapy Stop Cancer from Coming Back?
- What if Immunotherapy Fails?
- What Research and Advancements Are Happening in Immunotherapy?
- Where Can I Get Immunotherapy for Cancer?
1. What Is Immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy is a treatment that, as the word itself suggests, uses the immune system as a form of therapy to fight cancer. Instead of attacking cancer cells head-on regardless of the repercussions to nearby healthy cells, like chemotherapy or radiation, immunotherapy strengthens or guides immune cells to do the job. Some treatments help the immune system detect cancer, while others give it the extra push needed to launch a stronger attack.
Doctors consider several factors before recommending immunotherapy. Some treatments work best for cancers with specific markers, while others are more effective when combined with chemotherapy or targeted therapy. Not every patient responds the same way, and researchers are still learning why some cancers resist immune-based treatments.
2. How Does Immunotherapy Work?
The immune system constantly looks for threats like viruses, bacteria, and abnormal cells. In many cases, it destroys cancerous cells before they become a problem, but cancer is stealthy and can hide or block immune responses. Immunotherapy gives the immune system a much-needed upgrade, allowing it to spot and kill cancer cells that have been slipping through the cracks.
Several approaches are available, each working differently. For example, checkpoint inhibitors, in simple terms, block the persistent proteins that prevent immune cells from attacking cancer. Tumors sometimes use these proteins as shields, tricking the immune system into ignoring them.
Another example is CAR-T cell therapy, wherein doctors collect T cells (an immune cell) from the patient, modify them in a lab to detect malignant cells, and return them to the body. These modified cells then hunt and destroy cancer cells with more precision. CAR-T therapy has shown strong results in blood cancers like leukemia, but is still being studied for solid tumors.
Other treatments, like cancer vaccines and cytokine therapy, boost immune activity in different ways. Cancer vaccines train the immune system to target cancerous cells, much like vaccines for infectious diseases. Meanwhile, cytokines are signaling proteins that help regulate immune activity. Some cytokines, like interleukins and interferons, make immune cells more aggressive against cancer. Others fine-tune the response to prevent overactivation.
No single treatment works for everyone. Some cancers respond well, while others resist immune-based treatments. Researchers continue studying ways to improve responses and expand treatment options. Immunotherapy has already changed outcomes for many patients, and ongoing research aims to make it even more effective.
Further reading: Types of Targeted Therapy Drugs for Breast Cancer
3. What Types of Cancer Can Immunotherapy Treat?
Melanoma was one of the first cancers treated successfully with immunotherapy. Lung cancer, kidney cancer, breast cancer, and some types of bladder cancer have also responded well, especially when tumors carry markers that make them more visible to the immune system. Certain blood cancers, like lymphoma and leukemia, respond to immune-based treatments that modify T cells to recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively.
Some colorectal and endometrial cancers qualify for immunotherapy if they have genetic traits linked to high mutation rates. Cancers with unstable DNA, such as those with microsatellite instability (MSI-H), often respond better because their mutations make them easier for the immune system to detect.
Harder-to-treat cancers, including pancreatic and prostate cancer, have shown limited response. Researchers are testing ways to improve results, including combining immunotherapy with other treatments to make resistant cancers more vulnerable. Clinical trials continue expanding the list of cancers that might benefit.
New Hope Unlimited gives patients access to treatment options that weren’t available before or remain unavailable in the United States. If you’re interested in precision oncology, contact us today to meet with our doctors.
4. What Are the Benefits of Immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy aims to give patients a chance at longer-lasting cancer control, even when other treatments have stopped working. Unlike chemotherapy or radiation, which directly kill cancer cells and some neighboring healthy cells, immunotherapy helps the body combat cancer on its own. When it works, the immune system can remember and continue launching attacks on cancer cells long after treatment ends.
One major advantage is that it targets cancer more precisely. Some treatments block cancer’s ability to hide from immune cells, while others strengthen immune responses without damaging healthy tissues the way chemotherapy does. Patients who respond well often experience fewer adverse effects compared to the side effects of traditional cancer treatments.
Another benefit is long-term reliability. Some patients on immunotherapy remain cancer-free for years. In certain cancers, immunotherapy has turned once-terminal diagnoses into manageable conditions.
Best of all, it expands treatment options for patients who previously had none. Some aggressive cancers that resist chemotherapy or radiation have responded to immunotherapy, giving hope to those who had run out of alternatives.
5. How Will I Feel? What Are the Risks and Side Effects?
Immunotherapy can trigger powerful immune responses, which, like any treatment, can lead to side effects.
Common side effects include feeling tired and sleepy (fatigue), experiencing skin rashes, and having flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, and muscle aches. Some patients also develop digestive issues like nausea, diarrhea, or loss of appetite. These reactions usually improve with time or medication adjustments. More serious complications, although rare, happen when the immune system attacks healthy tissues. For instance, it can cause inflammation in organs like the lungs, liver, or intestine.
Doctors monitor patients closely during treatment to catch and manage side effects early. Some reactions improve with steroids or other medications that calm the immune system. In certain cases, doctors may pause or stop treatment altogether.
Read our dedicated guide to the side effects of immunotherapy here, where we compare it to the side effects of conventional care, as well as share tips on how to manage post-treatment side effects.
6. Who Is a Candidate for Immunotherapy?
Not everyone qualifies for immunotherapy. Oncologists consider a number of factors before recommending it, including the type and stage of cancer, genetic markers, and a patient’s overall health. Some cancers respond well, while others resist treatment, making eligibility highly specific.
Certain cancers have markers that predict a stronger response. Tumors with high levels of PD-L1, high mutation rates, or defects in DNA repair (such as microsatellite instability-high or MSI-H) are more likely to respond. Biomarker testing helps determine if a patient’s cancer has these traits.
Previous treatments also affect a patient’s eligibility. Some patients try immunotherapy after chemotherapy or targeted therapy stops working, while others receive it as an early treatment option. Combination approaches, where immunotherapy is paired with other treatments, may expand eligibility for those who wouldn’t respond to immunotherapy alone.
Health history matters as well. Patients with autoimmune diseases, organ transplants, or certain infections may face higher risks of side effects. Since immunotherapy “reactivates” the immune system, it can worsen conditions where the immune system already attacks healthy tissues.
For those who don’t currently qualify, please contact New Hope Unlimited for a second opinion. Clinical trials may also offer access to experimental immunotherapy treatments.
7. How Effective Is Immunotherapy?
Immunotherapy’s effectiveness varies based on cancer type, individual patient factors, and specific therapies used.
Case Studies of Response Rates Across Cancers
In melanoma, combining immunotherapy drugs like ipilimumab and nivolumab has improved health outcomes. A study involving 945 patients with advanced melanoma reported a 52% survival rate at 10 years, a substantial increase from the previous 5% five-year survival rate.
For non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), immunotherapy has also shown promise. In the IMpower130 trial, patients who received atezolizumab combined with chemotherapy had a median overall survival of 18.6 months, compared to 13.9 months for those receiving chemo on its own.
Immunotherapy has also shown promise in treating breast cancer. In the I-SPY2 trial, adding pembrolizumab to standard chemotherapy increased the pathological complete response (pCR) rate compared to chemotherapy alone.
These are just a few examples where immunotherapy has made a difference. It has also been approved for head and neck cancers, some types of stomach and esophageal cancer, and some cases of cervical cancer, among others.
Factors Influencing Effectiveness
Several factors influence how well a patient responds to immunotherapy:
- Tumor Mutational Burden (TMB): Cancers with a high number of mutations may produce abnormal proteins that the immune system can recognize, making them more susceptible to immunotherapy.
- PD-L1 Expression: Tumors expressing the PD-L1 protein can be more responsive to certain immunotherapies, as these treatments target the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway to enhance immune response.
- Tumor Microenvironment: The presence of immune cells within the tumor can affect treatment outcomes. A tumor rich in immune cells may respond better to immunotherapy.
Ongoing research aims to broaden its applicability and improve outcomes for more patients.
8. Can You Combine Immunotherapy With Other Treatments?
In many cases, immunotherapy works best when paired with other treatments. Some cancers resist immune-based therapies on their own, but combining them with chemotherapy, radiation, or targeted therapy can improve results.
For example, the results of a phase-3 trial concluded that adding the immunotherapy drug nivolumab to pre-surgery chemo greatly increased the rate of pathological complete response in patients with early-stage, high-risk ER+/HER2- breast cancer.
In general, physicians use combination approaches to increase response rates, beat resistance, and attack cancer through multiple pathways.
9. How Long Does Immunotherapy Treatment Last?
The length of immunotherapy treatment depends on the type of cancer, the specific drug used, how well the patient responds, and any side effects that occur. Some patients receive immunotherapy for a fixed period, while others continue treatment as long as it remains effective without causing serious complications.
Typical Treatment Durations
Doctors prescribe most immunotherapy in cycles, with breaks in between to allow the immune system to recover. Some treatments last a few months, while others continue for years. Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Checkpoint Inhibitors (e.g., pembrolizumab, nivolumab, atezolizumab): Many patients receive these drugs every 2 to 6 weeks. Treatment often continues for up to 2 years if the cancer responds and side effects remain manageable. After 2 years, some doctors stop treatment to see if the immune system can control the cancer on its own.
- CAR-T Cell Therapy: This one-time treatment necessitates follow-up care to monitor for relapse or complications.
- Cytokine Therapy and Cancer Vaccines: These treatments vary in schedule. Some patients receive cytokines like interleukin-2 for a short, intense period, while others get long-term maintenance doses. As for cancer vaccines, doctors often administer them in multiple doses over weeks or months.
- Oncolytic Virus Therapy: Some patients receive repeated injections of the modified virus, while others only need a single round. The dosing schedule depends on how well the immune system responds.
10. How Is Immunotherapy Given?
Immunotherapy can either be:
- Topical: The patient applies or rubs the medication onto the skin.
- Oral: Immunotherapy drugs can come in a capsule or pill that the patient can swallow.
- Intravenous (IV): A healthcare provider delivers the medication through an IV into a vein.
- Intravesical: A catheter places the medication directly into the bladder.
11. When Does Treatment Stop?
Providers may stop immunotherapy for several reasons:
- Successful response: If scans show no signs of cancer, some physicians discontinue treatment, especially after 1 to 2 years. In some cases, the immune system keeps the cancer in check without further treatment.
- Lack of response: If cancer doesn’t shrink or continues growing, immunotherapy may be stopped in favor of other options.
- Severe side effects: Some patients develop serious immune-related complications, such as organ inflammation, that require stopping treatment to prevent long-term damage.
Monitoring After Immunotherapy Treatment Ends
Cancer patients who stop immunotherapy must continue follow-up care to check for recurrence. Doctors monitor scans, blood tests, and symptoms to catch any signs of cancer returning. Some patients restart treatment if cancer comes back, while others switch to different therapies.
The effects of immunotherapy can last long after treatment stops, but every case is different. Some patients remain in remission for several years, while others need ongoing treatments to keep cancer under control. Research continues to refine how long patients should stay on immunotherapy and whether shorter or intermittent treatment schedules could work just as well.
12. Can Immunotherapy Stop Cancer from Coming Back?
Yes, it’s possible. However, keep in mind that everyone is different. Researchers have found that some forms of immunotherapy can minimize the risk of some cancers, like ovarian cancer, from recurring or coming back longer than other treatments.
13. What if Immunotherapy Fails?
If immunotherapy does not lead to or achieve a positive health outcome, cancer care teams will work fast to find other options. Other treatment choices may include a different immunotherapy approach or combination therapies.
14. What Research and Advancements Are Happening in Immunotherapy?
Recent developments have focused on novel therapeutic targets, combination strategies, and personalized approaches to improve patient outcomes.
Emerging Therapeutic Targets
Researchers are identifying new immune checkpoints beyond the well-known PD-1/PD-L1 and CTLA-4 pathways. For instance, proteins like LAG-3, TIM-3, and TIGIT are promising targets. Inhibiting these molecules can further unleash the immune system’s ability to attack cancer, offering hope for patients who do not or no longer respond to existing therapies.
More Personalized Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is, in a sense, already personalized since it uses the patient’s immune system to address cancer. However, advancements in precision oncology are enabling even more tailored approaches. For one, clinical researchers are developing therapeutic vaccines that “steer” the immune system to recognize kidney mutations, potentially improving response rates. In a recent study, all nine patients with late-stage kidney cancer had successful anti-cancer immune responses and stayed cancer-free three years after treatment.
Microbiome Influence
Specific bacterial populations can modulate the immune system’s response to cancer. In one study, the researchers highlighted how modifying the microbiome through diet, probiotics, or fecal transplants may enhance the effectiveness of immunotherapy.
Artificial Intelligence in Immunotherapy
Artificial intelligence (AI) is playing a continuously bigger role in immunotherapy research. AI algorithms analyze complex datasets to predict patient responses to treatments, identify new therapeutic targets, and design personalized treatment plans. For example, oncologists recently began using AI-based digital scoring of the tumor-immune microenvironment to predict benefits from maintenance immunotherapy in advanced oesophagogastric adenocarcinoma.
Overcoming Resistance
Scientists are investigating mechanisms behind treatment resistance and developing strategies to overcome it, such as combining immunotherapies with agents that modulate the tumor microenvironment or targeting alternative immune checkpoints.
As research progresses, immunotherapy continues to offer new avenues of hope, transforming cancer treatment and improving survival rates for many patients.
15. Where Can I Get Immunotherapy for Cancer?
New Hope Unlimited offers immunotherapy as an alternative cancer treatment option. Patients choose us because New Mexico allows more treatment options than the United States, giving them access to therapies not widely available elsewhere. Our approach focuses on strengthening the body’s natural defenses while addressing cancer with a combination of holistic and innovative treatments.
Our medical team tailors immunotherapy plans based on each patient’s condition, combining science-backed methods with comprehensive care. Treatment takes place in a fully equipped facility designed for comfort and safety. Patients receive care from experienced healthcare professionals specializing in alternative cancer care, ensuring personalized attention throughout their stay.
New Hope Unlimited welcomes patients from all over. If you’re considering immunotherapy, call 480-666-1403 to book a doctor’s appointment and learn more about treatment options.
