What are the most serious effects of immunotherapy?

What are the most serious effects of immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is an innovative treatment method that uses the human immune system to treat diseases, especially cancer. It works by activating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells or other abnormal cells. However, while immunotherapy has shown great potential in the treatment of many diseases, it can also cause some serious side effects, which are related to an overactive immune system or immune disorders. So what are the serious effects?

The purpose of immunotherapy

The core purpose of immunotherapy is to help the body recognize and attack cancer cells or other abnormal cells by enhancing or regulating the function of the immune system. Normally, the immune system can effectively identify and eliminate foreign pathogens (such as bacteria and viruses), but cancer cells can often evade the immune system's surveillance. Immunotherapy helps the immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively by activating the immune system or by blocking the mechanisms by which cancer cells evade immune attacks.

In addition, immunotherapy can also be used to treat some autoimmune diseases, infectious diseases, and diseases related to regulating immune responses. The goal of immunotherapy is to restore or enhance the normal function of the immune system by precisely regulating it.

Types of Immunotherapy

There are many types of immunotherapy, and depending on their mechanism of action and treatment goals, common immunotherapies include:

1. Immune checkpoint inhibitors: Immune checkpoints are the "brake" mechanism of the immune system, which prevents immune cells from being overactive. In many cancers, tumor cells interact with the immune system through these checkpoints to escape the immune system's attack. Immune checkpoint inhibitors help immune cells attack cancer cells by blocking these "brake" signals. Common immune checkpoint inhibitors are PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors (such as Keytruda, Opdivo) and CTLA-4 inhibitors (such as Yervoy).

2. Monoclonal antibodies: This therapy helps the immune system recognize and attack cancer cells by designing antibodies to target specific cancer cell surface antigens. Monoclonal antibodies have achieved remarkable results in the treatment of breast cancer, leukemia, lymphoma and other diseases.

3. CAR-T cell therapy: CAR-T (chimeric antigen receptor T cell) therapy is an innovative cell therapy in which the patient's T cells are genetically modified in vitro to enable them to recognize specific antigens on cancer cells. These modified T cells are then infused into the patient to enhance the immune system's attack on tumor cells.

4. Cytokine therapy: Cytokines are signaling molecules of the immune system that help regulate immune responses. By giving patients certain cytokines, such as interleukin-2 (IL-2) or interferon, the immune system's ability to fight cancer can be enhanced.

5. Vaccine therapy: Immunotherapy vaccines are designed to activate the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells. Common cancer vaccines include the HPV vaccine (to prevent cervical cancer) and the BCG vaccine (for bladder cancer).

Diseases that can be treated with immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is particularly widely used in cancer treatment and has made significant progress. The main cancers that can be treated with immunotherapy include:

Melanoma: Immune checkpoint inhibitors have significant effects on patients with advanced melanoma.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC): Immunotherapy has become a new treatment option for advanced non-small cell lung cancer that cannot be treated with surgery.

Renal cell carcinoma: Immunotherapy has become an important means of treating advanced kidney cancer.

Hodgkin lymphoma: Immunotherapy has shown significant effects in treating relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma.

Colorectal cancer: Immunotherapy is also a treatment option for colorectal cancer with specific gene mutations.

In addition, immunotherapy is also used to treat some immune system-related diseases (such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus) and infectious diseases (such as hepatitis B, HIV).

Immunotherapy success rate

The success rate of immunotherapy varies depending on the type of cancer, individual differences in patients, and different treatment plans. For some types of cancer, the success rate of immunotherapy is higher, such as:

Melanoma: The use of immune checkpoint inhibitors has greatly improved the survival rate of patients with advanced melanoma, and some patients can achieve long-term remission.

Non-small cell lung cancer: Immunotherapy can significantly improve survival in patients with high PD-L1 expression.

Kidney cancer: The success rate of immunotherapy is more significant in patients with advanced kidney cancer.

Side effects of immunotherapy

The side effects of immunotherapy mainly come from the over-activation of the immune system. When the immune system attacks cancer cells, it may also attack normal healthy cells, triggering an autoimmune response. Common side effects include:

  • Skin reactions: such as rash, itching, dryness, etc.

  • Gastrointestinal reactions: such as diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, etc.

  • Lung reactions: such as cough, shortness of breath, etc., which may lead to immune pneumonia.

  • Infection: Overactivation of the immune system may lead to immune disorders, thereby increasing the risk of infection.

  • Fatigue and weakness: Patients may feel extremely tired, affecting their daily life and work.

The most serious effects of immunotherapy

The most serious effects of immunotherapy are usually related to the overreaction of the immune system, especially serious immune complications. The most serious side effects include:

  • Immune-related organ damage: When the immune system attacks normal tissues, it may cause damage to important organs, such as immune hepatitis, immune pneumonia, immune nephritis, etc. These reactions may lead to organ failure, and in severe cases, even life-threatening.

  • Acute autoimmune diseases: Some immunotherapies trigger autoimmune reactions that may lead to serious diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and Guillain-Barré syndrome.

  • Excessive inflammatory response: Excessive activation of the immune system may trigger a systemic inflammatory response, leading to life-threatening complications such as multiple organ damage and organ failure.

  • Long-term adverse reactions: Some patients may face long-term immune system disorders after receiving immunotherapy, leading to persistent health problems.

Life expectancy of immunotherapy

The life expectancy of immunotherapy varies from person to person. In some types of cancer, immunotherapy can significantly prolong the patient's survival, especially in some patients with advanced or recurrent cancer. For example, some patients with advanced melanoma can achieve long-term remission or even cure after receiving immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy has shown great potential in cancer treatment and can help many patients prolong their survival or even get cured. However, it also comes with certain risks, especially excessive activation of the immune system, which may lead to serious side effects. It is important for patients receiving immunotherapy to understand its side effects and the most serious effects. Doctors and patients need to work closely together to develop a personalized treatment plan to maximize the effectiveness of immunotherapy and reduce the risk of side effects.

If you have cancer and want to know if immunotherapy will work, talk to your healthcare provider. Learn more about immunotherapy to choose the most effective approach.