Immunotherapy in Panama
Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that seeks to revive and enhance the patient’s natural immune system, in order to eliminate tumor cells from the body and thus heal or stop the growth of cancer in the patient.
This biological therapy can use the body’s natural defenses or intervene with chemicals that stimulate the restoration of the immune system and cells of cancer patients, so that they naturally compete against cancer cells.
Scientific advances in immunotherapy are at least a century old, but in the last 5 years the results have been very positive, as patients treated with this type of cell therapy have experienced a remarkable improvement.
The immune system naturally acts to prevent the proliferation of cancer, however, there are tumor cells that find a way to hide from the attack of the immune system
Cells can genetically change their appearance so as not to be detected by the immune system, they can intervene in the cells around the tumor to deactivate its attacks and also form proteins around it for the same purpose.
Although our body is very intelligent, sometimes the intervention of immunotherapy is needed to reactivate the defenses against camouflaged cells.
Types of cancer in which immunotherapy can be applied:
Because it is a cancer treatment focused on boosting the development of the body’s natural defenses, it is applicable in almost all types of cancer, in fact it has shown great results in the metastatic stages of lung, bladder, head and neck tumors.
Even so, there are several studies that demonstrate the efficacy of immunotherapy in all other tumours, you just have to understand the history of each patient.
Types of Immunotherapy:
Treatment vaccines:
They are a specific treatment for viruses that induce cancer, such as: the Human Papillomavirus HPV that causes tumors in the uterus, genitals, anus, etc., and/or Hepatitis B. The idea of this treatment is that through the vaccine the response of the body’s immune cells against the virus is activated and thus the tumor can be fought or reduced.
Monoclonal antibodies:
They are natural substances for the body based on lymphocytes, they are created in laboratories with the purpose of counteracting the proteins that protect cancer cells.
Once these tumor cells are exposed to the immune system, the body will act to destroy the cancer naturally.
With more than ten years being studied by science, monoclonal antibody therapy has shown efficacy in breast, lung, colon, brain, ovarian tumors, among others.
These antibodies are applied specifically to each tumor in order to make the therapy more efficient.
Cell therapy:
In this therapy, the patient’s cells are activated in a laboratory to return them through an infusion and achieve an efficient attack on the cancerous tumor. When these tumour cells are extracted, they are taken to a specialised laboratory that activates them with specific lymphocytes and receptors that, when injected into the patient, are ready to attack and regenerate the tumour. There are currently great advances with these cell therapies that strengthen the immune cells with effective ways to eliminate cancer.
Immune control inhibitors:
These are natural points in the body that turn off or regulate the body’s immune response to threats such as cancer. One of the ways to camouflage cancer cells is through the activation of these immune control inhibitors. Thanks to the study of these is that immunotherapy has advanced so much, today there are drugs that block these inhibitors and allow the immune systems to be used in the field of immunotherapy. The body’s natural defenses discover the tumor cells that affect cancer patients.
Ways of applying immunotherapy treatments
Topical:
These are immunotherapy creams that are absorbed through the skin, it is used in cases of skin cancer.
Intravenous:
The treatment chosen by the oncologist is injected into the vein.
Oral:
They are drugs that come in pills that are taken orally by the patient.
Intravesical:
It is injected directly into the bladder.
Immunotherapy treatments can be applied on an outpatient basis, meaning that the patient should not remain hospitalized overnight.
Depending on the type of immunotherapy recommended by the oncology specialist, the application can be carried out even in a doctor’s office.
Regarding the frequency of this cancer treatment, it can be said that it is applied interday, once a week or once a month, depending on the oncologist’s consideration.
This decision will always depend on important factors such as: the type of cancer the patient is facing, its stage, the patient’s personal reaction to the cell therapy and the type of immunotherapy recommended.
Most often, the treatment is applied in cycles, in order to allow the patient’s body to rest to evaluate the reaction to immunotherapy and allow the activation of the immune system to act by regenerating and creating new cells.
This therapy is kept under constant observation to determine its effectiveness in each patient
During rest periods, the doctor will keep watching the body’s progress in treatment through tests that will define the size of the tumor and the efficiency of treatment in cancer patients.
Does immunotherapy have risks or side effects?
Despite being an almost natural treatment, immunotherapy has side effects or risks for each patient. One of them is the involvement of the injected area producing fever and flu symptoms. On other occasions, it may be the case that, due to the activation of immune cells, they attack healthy tissue instead of cancerous tissue.
In this way, a picture of autoimmune diseases that affect several organs of the patient is produced, but there are already protocols to act in these cases to stabilize the patient quickly.
The most extreme risk is that the body reacts with septic shock to the massive release of the immune system, which can cause organ failure in some fatal cases. However, immunotherapy has a good future, for science it is the advance towards a cure for cancer.
There is currently a lot of research worldwide on immunotherapy that tries to make it more effective and reduce these risks in order to definitively help cancer patients.
Benefits of immunotherapy
Among the benefits offered by immunotherapy in the treatment of cancer we can mention:
Boosts the immune system
Immunotherapy helps strengthen and activate the body’s immune system to fight cancer cells. This can help improve the immune system’s response and increase the body’s ability to fight cancer.
Specific treatment
Immunotherapy specifically targets cancer cells, reducing side effects compared to other treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, which can also damage healthy cells.
Long-lasting response
In some cases, immunotherapy can generate a long-lasting response in the body, which means that the immune system can continue to fight cancer cells even after treatment ends.
Fewer side effects
In general, immunotherapy tends to have fewer serious side effects than other cancer treatments. However, it’s important to note that each person may respond differently and experience specific side effects.
Complementary treatment
Immunotherapy can also be used in combination with other treatments such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, to improve outcomes and increase the chances of success in cancer treatment.
What is needed after immunotherapy treatment?
After immunotherapy treatment, it is important to follow certain guidelines and special care to ensure proper recovery and maximize the benefits of treatment. Some of the considerations after immunotherapy treatment are:
- Medical follow-up: It is essential to continue with the scheduled follow-up visits with the specialist. During these visits, your response to treatment will be evaluated and tests will be done to monitor the progression of the disease.
- Managing side effects: Like other cancer treatments, immunotherapy can have side effects. It is important to let your doctor know about any symptoms or side effects you experience so that they can provide you with the proper treatment and manage the side effects effectively.
- Skin care: Some immunotherapy medications can cause skin changes such as dryness, redness, or tenderness. It is recommended to keep the skin clean and hydrated, protect it from the sun by using sunscreen and wear protective clothing.
- Healthy lifestyle: Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help strengthen the immune system and promote optimal recovery. This includes: a balanced diet, regular exercise, adequate rest, and avoiding tobacco and alcohol use.
- Emotional Support: Cancer Treatment It can be emotionally challenging. Seeking emotional support through support groups, therapy, or talking to family and friends can be beneficial in dealing with stress and concerns related to treatment.
