Plus Minus Treating Cancer With Immune Therapy

Immune therapy for cancer is a treatment option that cancer patients can do besides chemotherapy or radiation. The question is how effective the treatment of immune therapy to treat cancer? When done, what are the side effects? Consider the consideration of plus plus minus immune therapy for the following cancer.

Potential treatment of immune therapy for cancer

Reported by Science Daily, a study conducted by Ribert Ferris, MD, Ph.D., Head of Division of Head and Neck Surgery, and colleagues presented that nivolumab in immune therapy given regularly can improve survival and cause fewer side effects in patients with cancer head and neck. Nivolumab drugs have a higher response to tumor immune cells (TAIC) that play an important role in tumor growth

Reporting from Healthline, a decade ago, breast cancer was treated with HER2 antibodies. However, cancer cells sometimes deceive T cells (cancer killer cells) that exist in HER2 antibodies with the help of a protein called PD-L1. It happened before the immune therapy was discovered. Now immune therapy with herceptin helps bind HER2 receptors helps to stimulate the immune system to destroy cancer cells.

However, both studies have also concluded that although immune therapy helps immune cancer patients, the success rate of this therapy treatment for cancer cells depends on the level of the patient's immune cells. Immune cells that reside in the environment around the tumor, play an important role in how the patient responds to immune therapy.

So, not all patients can respond to this treatment. The reason, everyone has a different immune cells, cancer cells that exist on the body is also different. However, for now, immune therapy is well tolerated and can continue indefinitely. Unlike chemotherapy and radiation, immune therapy leaves healthy cells without damage.

But for some cases, the immune system overreacts to this therapy. That means treatment should be stopped immediately until the side effects are treated.

Side effects of immune therapy treatment for cancer

The use of safe medications also definitely has side effects, just like the immune therapy treatment for cancer. Although it is otherwise safe, following possible side effects on immune therapy treatment:

Fatigue

This is a common side effect because patients have to undergo various treatments. For that, cancer patients should familiarize themselves to train the body, for example by doing light exercise or a leisurely stroll. Then, consume enough water and eat foods in accordance with the doctor's advice. All this is done to maintain the strength and energy of the patient so as not to start fatigue.

Fever

If this happens ask your doctor first which drug you are safe to consume to reduce fever.

Flu-like symptoms

Some immune therapy drugs can make you feel the flu, such as nausea, headaches, muscle or joint pain, chills, weakness, and dizziness. In some cases also occur diarrhea and dry cough. To overcome this, asking for help to the doctor is the best step that can be done.

Skin problems

Treatment of immune therapy sometimes causes reactions to the skin. Can occur reddened skin, itching, and swelling. Blisters and mouth sores are also common. So that your inflamed skin does not get worse, use mild soap without fragrance or dye. Do not take too long and use a moisturizer. Usually the doctor will prescribe cream or antibiotics so that the patient's skin soon recovers from inflammation.

Autoimmune disorders

Unlike chemotherapy or radiation, immune therapy does not target all cells in your body. Immune therapy only targets and affects the patient's immune system. If this happens it will likely attack healthy tissues or organs in your body, such as:

• Pneumonitis (inflamed lung), usually chest pain and shortness of breath     
• Colitis (inflamed bowel), usually diarrhea, abdominal cramps, bloody or slimy stools     
• Hepatitis (inflammation of the liver), usually dark urine, easy bruising or bleeding, pain on the right side of the stomach, and the skin or eyes become yellow.     
• Endocrine disorders (hormonal problems), usually fatigue, headache, hair loss, rapid heartbeat, and sweating.     
• Uveitis (inflamed eyes), the bias changes in vision ability     
• Arthritis, ie pain in the joints or on your muscles and tendons.        

Note when side effects appear, can be mild, severe, even fatal. For that, if something like this happens immediately check your health to the doctor. Usually the doctor will give corticosteroids to calm the patient's immune system. When severe, most likely the patient should stop the immune therapy treatment for this cancer while until the side effects are lost.