Immunotherapy

Definition

Immunotherapy is a type of treatment that harnesses the power of the body's own immune system to fight diseases, particularly cancer. It works by stimulating or modifying the immune system to recognize and attack abnormal cells more effectively.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Immunotherapy can be used alone or in combination with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, radiation, or targeted therapies.
2. Checkpoint inhibitors work by blocking proteins that normally act as 'brakes' on the immune system, allowing T cells to more effectively recognize and attack cancer cells.
3. Adoptive cell transfer involves collecting and modifying a patient's own immune cells, such as T cells, to enhance their ability to recognize and destroy cancer cells.
4. Monoclonal antibodies are designed to target specific molecules on the surface of cancer cells, marking them for destruction by the immune system.
5. Immunotherapy has shown promising results in treating various types of cancer, including melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer, and bladder cancer.

Review Questions

• Explain how checkpoint inhibitors work to enhance the immune system's ability to fight cancer.
  • Checkpoint inhibitors work by blocking proteins, such as PD-1 and CTLA-4, that normally act as 'brakes' on the immune system. These proteins are often overexpressed on cancer cells and can suppress the activity of T cells, preventing them from effectively recognizing and attacking the cancer. By blocking these checkpoint proteins, checkpoint inhibitors allow the immune system to more readily recognize and mount a stronger response against the cancer cells.
• Describe the process of adoptive cell transfer and how it can be used to improve the immune system's anti-cancer response.
  • Adoptive cell transfer involves collecting the patient's own immune cells, typically T cells, and then modifying or expanding them in a laboratory setting. This process can involve genetically engineering the T cells to express specific receptors that enhance their ability to recognize and attack cancer cells. The modified T cells are then reintroduced into the patient, where they can more effectively target and destroy the cancer.
• Analyze the role of monoclonal antibodies in immunotherapy and how they can be used to target and mark cancer cells for destruction by the immune system.
  • Monoclonal antibodies are laboratory-produced antibodies that are designed to target specific molecules on the surface of cancer cells. These antibodies can bind to these target molecules, effectively 'marking' the cancer cells for destruction by the patient's own immune system. This process can involve the activation of immune cells, such as natural killer cells or macrophages, which then recognize the marked cancer cells and initiate an immune response to eliminate them. The specificity of monoclonal antibodies allows for more targeted and effective cancer treatment, with fewer side effects compared to traditional chemotherapy.

Related terms

Checkpoint Inhibitors:

Drugs that block immune checkpoint proteins, such as PD-1 and CTLA-4, allowing the immune system to better recognize and attack cancer cells.

Adoptive Cell Transfer: A type of immunotherapy that involves collecting, modifying, and then reintroducing the patient's own immune cells, such as T cells, to enhance their ability to fight cancer.

Monoclonal Antibodies:

Antibodies produced in a laboratory that are designed to target specific molecules on the surface of cancer cells, marking them for destruction by the immune system.