How is Immunotherapy Administered?

How is Immunotherapy Administered?

Immunotherapy comes in several forms. Your immunotherapy may come in an IV. You will stay in the treatment center for up to a few hours while you receive the IV. Some immunotherapy cancer treatments come in oral pill form that you can take at home. Some early skin cancers are treated with a topical agent rubbed into the skin. Your doctor can also directly inject immunotherapy into areas like the bladder. 

How Does Immunotherapy Work?

Immunotherapy can work in various ways that use the immune system to target cancer cells. Each type of treatment affects a different part of the immune system. 

• Immune checkpoint inhibitors block factors that usually regulate the immune system, letting it react more strongly against the cancer cells.
• Immune system modulators can target different types of immune cells or signals to boost the response to rogue cells.
• Antibodies recognize and attach themselves to cancer cells. The antibodies act as a flag for other immune cells to attack and kill the targeted cells. 
• T cell transfer selects T cells effective against the tumor, cultivates them in a lab, and returns them to your body. 
• Treatment vaccines boost your immune response to cancer cells. They do not prevent cancer from occurring, but they can help your body fight it.