Immunotherapy: What Is It & Who Should Use It?

Immunotherapy: What Is It & Who Should Use It?

You’re probably just as stumped as I am when it comes to Immunotherapy. I’m sure you’ve heard of this new cancer treatment, but how does it work and who should use it? I’m going to try to answer both of those questions and give you some links to help you learn more.

doctor examines patient

In a nutshell, Immunotherapy is a ground breaking cancer treatment that boosts the human immune system to fight off cancer. It uses natural substances formed by the body or in a laboratory to enhance the body’s immune system & ability to defeat cancer. This therapy helps the body stop or slow the growth of cancer cells, stop the formation of new cancer cells, prevent spreading of cancer to other parts of the body and help the immune system work better to fight cancer cells. For some types of cancer, Immunotherapy is effective on its own, but for others it seems to work well in combination with other treatments.

Pin it for Later

What is immunotherapy, who is it for, how does it work and why do they use it?

There are a few different types of Immunotherapy:

  • Monoclonal antibodies and tumor-agnostic therapies
  • Non-specific immunotherapies
  • Oncolytic virus therapy
  • T-cell therapy
  • Cancer vaccines

I’m definitely not a medical professional, so please check out this article for more specific information on these types of immunotherapy. Also, please make sure to consult your doctor.

Ok, now let’s talk about who should consider Immunotherapy. This treatment is still not as widely used as surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy. But, it's been approved to treat many different types of cancer in adults and children. You can consult this list to find out more about Immunotherapy treatment options for your specific cancer here:

Adults:

https://www.cancer.gov/publications/pdq/information-summaries/adult-treatment

Children:

https://www.cancer.gov/publications/pdq/information-summaries/pediatric-treatment

There's also lots of clinical trials available and you can find out if you’re eligible for participation here:

https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/clinical-trials/search?redirect=true

Neuroblastoma sterling silver stud earrings

One of the childhood cancers that's treated by Immunotherapy is Neuroblastoma, which is also one of the causes we honor at Revive Jewelry. A cancer that mainly affects children under five, we raise funds to help kids at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles. About 800 new cases of Neuroblastoma are reported in the US every year and many of these people seek out Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) for treatment. It's among the top pediatric hospitals in the nation and they don't refuse any patient regardless of their ability to pay. That's why it's so important to raise funds for CHLA to keep doing the work that will keep our kids strong and healthy. If you’re interested in supporting CHLA through a Revive Jewelry purchase, you can view the collection here.

shop now button

Immunotherapy could prove to be the future of cancer treatment. There's much more research to be done before that determination can be made, but it's very promising and at least gives us more options for treatment.

This post is intended to be an overview & brief explanation of Immunotherapy. I encourage you to read this great article for a more in depth explanation: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/immunotherapy/what-is-immunotherapy.html

 

 

***All content on this website, including medical opinions and any other health-related information, is for informational purposes only and should not be considered to be a specific diagnosis or treatment plan for any individual situation. Use of this site and the information contained herein does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the direct advice of your own doctor in connection with any questions or issues you may have regarding your own health or the health of others.***

Related Posts

10 Jewelry Ideas for Breast Cancer Survivors
10 Jewelry Ideas for Breast Cancer Survivors
Breast cancer is a battle that many brave individuals fight every day. For survivors, commemorating their journey and...
Read More
Raising Hope and Awareness with the Orange Leukemia Awareness Bracelet: Uniting Against Leukemia in September
Raising Hope and Awareness with the Orange Leukemia Awareness Bracelet: Uniting Against Leukemia in September
September is a month of significance for those touched by leukemia, a blood cancer that affects millions of lives wor...
Read More
How Your Jewelry Gave Back in 2022
How Your Jewelry Gave Back in 2022
Happy New Year, Change Maker! I can't believe we're already writing 2023 on the books- but here we are. At the end of...
Read More

Leave a comment

Please note, comments must be approved before they are published