Immunotherapy: Symptoms, Classification, Diagnosis & Recovery

Immunotherapy( cancer treatment) employs the body's immune system to find and eliminate cancer cells. The immune system normally recognizes and eliminates dangerous invaders, including malignant cells. It improves the immune system's capacity to identify and eliminate cancer cells.

This treatment can be highly effective and may help some cancer patients live longer. Medical researchers are continually developing new immunotherapy drugs to treat a broader range of cancer types.

Immunotherapy is a type of biological therapy. This treatment helps enhance the patient's immune system. Some immunotherapies are specifically designed for cancer, while others generally strengthen overall immunity.

Types:

Following are the types of Immunotherapy:

• Checkpoint inhibitors.
• Adoptive cell therapy (T-cell transfer therapy).
• Monoclonal antibodies.
• Cancer vaccines.
• Immune system modulators.

Following are the signs and symptoms of the different types of Immunotherapies:

• Common Side Effects such as Fatigue, Skin reaction, Flue like symptoms, Diarrohea, etc
• Checkpoint Inhibitor's side effects include Colitis, Pneumonitis, Hepatitis
• CAR T-cell Therapy includes;

Cytokine Release Syndrome (CRS): A severe response involving fever, nausea, headache, rash, rapid heartbeat, low blood pressure, and difficulty breathing.

Neurological Symptoms: Confusion, aphasia (difficulty speaking), seizures, and severe headaches.

• Cancer Vaccines:

Injection Site Reactions: Pain, redness, and swelling at the site of the injection.

General Immune Reactions: Similar to flu-like symptoms.

• Autoimmune Reactions: Where the immune system attacks healthy tissues, potentially affecting any organ system, including the heart, kidneys, and nervous system.
• Blood Count Abnormalities: Including anemia, thrombocytopenia (low platelet count), and neutropenia (low white blood cell count).