Department of Immunotherapy

What is immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that engages your immune system to fight the disease. The treatment is sometimes called biological therapy.

Immunotherapy (biological therapy), an evolving and promising cancer treatment, works by stimulating the immune system. Immunotherapy drugs include CAR T-cell therapy and checkpoint inhibitors. Treatments can fuel the body’s production of cancer-fighting cells or help healthy cells identify and attack cancer cells.

What is the immune system?

Your immune system is made up of various organs, antibodies (proteins) and immune cells that work together to fight disease and infections. Immune cells include:

What should I expect after immunotherapy?

Unlike chemotherapy, immunotherapy may not always cause tumor shrinkage. Rarely, tumors temporarily swell or get bigger as immune cells attack the cancer even when patients are feeling great. This phenomenon is known as pseudoprogression. The term means that a tumor only appears to be worsening and patients may still be deriving benefit.

What does immunotherapy treat?

How long will I get immunotherapy?

You may get immunotherapy daily, weekly, monthly or in a cycle. With cyclic immunotherapy, you take a rest period after treatment. The break gives your body time to produce healthy cells. Treatment length depends on

You’ll need to see your healthcare provider often to track treatment response. You may have frequent physical exams, blood tests and imaging scans.