Are there different types of Immunotherapy?
The three types of immunotherapy are: • Passive. In this type, antibodies are made in a lab and put into your body. Monoclonal antibodies are a kind of passive immunotherapy. Trastuzumab (Herceptin) is an example of a monoclonal antibody that is used to treat breast cancer. • Active. This type stimulates your body’s immune system to work harder. Cancer vaccines are active immunotherapy, because they trigger the body’s immune system to attack cancer cells. So far, no cancer vaccines have been approved, but many types are being studied in clinical trials. • Nonspecific therapies. These boost the immune system in a general way. They may be used alone to fight cancer or they may be given along with other treatments. Often, they are used to reduce the side effects of chemotherapy. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is a type of nonspecific immunotherapy that is used to treat kidney cancer and melanoma. What types of cancer can be treated with immunotherapy? Scientists are studying immunotherapy as a trea
