Immunotherapy is a new class of cancer treatment that works to harness the innate powers of your own immune system to fight cancer.
Immunotherapy can use your own immune system in two ways:
- Power up your immune system so it is stronger and better able to fight cancer.
- Enhance or alter your cells to target and attack cancer cells.
Because of the immune system's unique properties, these immunotherapies may hold greater potential than current treatment approaches to fight cancer.
Advantages of immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is unique in that it is personalized for each patient. With our onsite facilities and laboratories, we are able to work with each patient and create a customized treatment plan. Immunotherapies can have some advantages over other cancer treatments. For example, immunotherapy:
- Targets cancer in a specific way without harming healthy cells.
- Works on many types of cancer — even some that do not respond to chemotherapy or radiation.
- Has the potential for reduced side effects commonly associated with traditional chemotherapy (e.g., nausea, vomiting, hair loss).
- Offers the possibility for long-term remissions.