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Targeting the Immune System
Targeting the Immune System
Major advancements have been made in cancer treatment in recent years.1 One treatment success is immunotherapy, which uses a person’s own immune system to combat cancer.2 Compared with standard treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation therapy, immunotherapy has been shown to be accompanied by less short- and long-term side effects, allowing for continuation of long-term treatment while maintaining quality of life.3 Immunotherapy is not effective for all cancer types, although certain factors, such as how advanced the cancer is and presence of specific indicators (called biomarkers) can help determine if immunotherapy could be considered.3
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors
Immune checkpoint inhibitors are one type of immunotherapy that blocks signals between cancer cells and immune cells that interfere with the immune system’s ability to identify cancer cells as harmful.3
Monoclonal Antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are another type of immunotherapy that target proteins on cancer cells.3 These molecules signal immune cells to destroy cancer cells by marking them to be better recognized by the immune system (B cells) as well as by bringing cancer cells and immune cells (T cells) closer together.13 Â mAbs can also be used to carry other treatments, such as chemotherapy, directly to cancer cells; these combinations are called antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).2,14
CAR T-cell Therapy
Another type of immunotherapy is chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy.3 This therapy re-engineers an individual’s T-cells to improve their ability to recognize and combat cancer cells, which are then injected back into the person’s body.3 CAR T-cell therapies treat blood cancers, such as lymphomas, certain leukemias and multiple myeloma, in both children and adults.3
New Tumor Targets
Certain tumor targets, including CTLA-4, PD-1 and PD-L1, have been the focus of many immunotherapy treatments for various cancers; however, there are several new treatment targets on the horizon for solid (organ) cancers and blood cancers.6 Researchers are working to test the safety and effectiveness of new drugs and certain combinations of them to combat these new tumor targets.6
References
- American Cancer Society. Cancer Research Insights from the Latest Decade, 2010 to 2020. December 30, 2019. https://www.cancer.org/latest-news/cancer-research-insights-from-the-latest-decade-2010-to-2020.html
- American Cancer Society. Immunotherapy. https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/immunotherapy.html
- City of Hope. Immunotherapy for cancer: How it works, who’s a candidate, and where to get it. January 26, 2021. https://www.cancercenter.com/community/blog/2021/01/immunotherapy-cancer
- Cleveland Clinic. Immunotherapy. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11582-immunotherapy
- National Cancer Institute. CAR T Cells: Engineering Patients’ Immune Cells to Treat Their Cancers. Updated March 10, 2022. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/research/car-t-cells
- Granier C, De Guillebon E, Blanc C, et al. Mechanisms of action and rationale for the use of checkpoint inhibitors in cancer. ESMO Open. 2017;2(2):e000213.
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. LAG-3 inhibitors: A new type of immunotherapy. November 30, 2022. https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/lag-3-inhibitors–a-new-type-of-immunotherapy.h00-159544479.html
- Aithal A, Rauth S, Kshirsagar P, et al. MUC16 as a novel target for cancer therapy. Expert Opin Ther Targets. 2018;22:675-686.
- Karapetyan L, Luke JJ, Devar D. Toll-like receptor 9 agonists in Cancer. Onco Targets Ther. 2020;13:10039-10060.
- CD20/CD3 Bispecific Antibodies Can Revolutionize B-Cell Lymphoma Therapy. Target Ther Oncol. 2022;11:95,101-102.
- Kleber M, Ntanasis-Stathopoulos I, Terpos E. BCMA in Multiple Myeloma-A Promising Key to Therapy. JÂ Clin Med. 2021;10:4088.
- VISTA Emerges as a Promising Immunotherapy Target in Cancer. Target Ther Oncol. 2022;11:81,87-88.
- National Cancer Institute. Monoclonal antibodies. September 24, 2019. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/monoclonal-antibodies
- MD Anderson Cancer Center. Monoclonal antibodies and cancer treatment: What to know. Last updated January 11, 2022. https://www.mdanderson.org/cancerwise/monoclonal-antibodies-and-cancer-treatment–what-to-know.h00-159386679.html
All URLs accessed February 28, 2023.