Immunotherapy uses the body’s immune system to fight cancer. The immune system protects us against illnesses and harmful foreign substances, but can also be trained to find cancer cells in the body and kill them.
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At the Esophageal Cancer Center, our subspecialists are experts in even the most complex and rarest forms of esophageal cancers. We work together to deliver highly specialized, world-class care.
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Answers to Your Questions about Immunotherapy for Cancer
Immunotherapy works through a set of drugs that stimulate the body’s immune system and train it to recognize cancer cells in the body. Once the immune system learns to mount an immune response specifically at cancer cells, it can work to attack and kill them.
The treatment is administered into the patients veins (intravenous) by infusion typically every two to four weeks, depending on the patient.
Immunotherapy is a successful method of treatment for cancer and is continuously improving. The treatment results in fewer side effects than chemotherapy and the positive effects tend to last much longer.
There are many benefits to receiving immunotherapy at a center like the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. Our specialists have seen hundreds of patients and can quickly determine whether or not immunotherapy is the best treatment option. Our multidisciplinary team of experts including rheumatologists, endocrinologist, nephrologists and gastroenterologists, amongst others, are at the ready to help manage any possible side effects or complications that can occur.
Many cancer patients can be treated with immunotherapy. Deciding on a specific treatment option will be determined by the cancer type, progression or stage of the cancer, as well as any other health concerns or complications that might interfere with the treatment.
Immunotherapy is very successful for the treatment of the following cancer types:
Melanoma (skin cancer).
Lung cancer.
Kidney cancer.
Some colon cancers.
Esophagus cancer.
Stomach cancer.
Head and neck cancer.
There are not many side effects, especially when compared to other treatment options like chemotherapy.
Short-term side effects include some fatigue, and sometimes a mild flu-like feeling for a few days after each intravenous infusion.
In a small percentage of patients receiving immunotherapy, serious side effects can occur where the immunotherapy drugs can attack the body’s own organs. In these cases, patients have to be hospitalized and treated with intravenous steroids and other medicines to control these effects.
Experience and Expertise
Immunotherapy for cancer continues to improve as our experts discover newer and better treatment methods through involvement in clinical trials
Not all patients will respond to immunotherapy the same way. In times like these, the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center has cancer experts of every type ready to determine the best treatment option for each individual patient.
University of Cincinnati Cancer Center experts regularly see the most complex cancer cases and have many years of experience developing customized treatments for hundreds of patients, allowing better outcomes and fewer complications.
We are committed to providing optimal care to your patient and open communication with you. We understand that as a referring physician, you need to be kept informed on your patient’s progress. That’s why we set up a toolbox to share detailed information about your patient’s health with you.
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