The Immune System: A Valuable Ally Against Tumors
The immune system normally eliminates altered and damaged cells, including potential cancer cells, thus preventing the formation of new tumors from the early stages. However, if cancer cells overcome this effective defensive barrier, the body's subsequent responses become less effective. When tumor cells manage to evade recognition by the immune system, cancer can progress and manifest clinically.
Immunotherapy represents a treatment that uses drugs to enhance the natural immune response of patients against tumor cells. Unlike traditional oncological therapies, it does not act directly on the tumor but rather strengthens the body's natural defenses against it.
Here are the main types of cancer immunotherapy:
- Monoclonal antibodies: molecules that recognize and attack specific targets on tumor cells.
- Immune checkpoint inhibitors: drugs that remove the "brakes" on the immune system, enhancing the anti-tumor response.
- CAR T-cells: patient's T lymphocytes modified in the laboratory to recognize and destroy tumor cells.
- Cancer vaccines: stimulate the immune system to recognize and attack tumor cells.
- Cytokines: proteins that regulate the immune response, used to enhance the fight against cancer.
- Oncolytic viruses: modified viruses that selectively infect and destroy tumor cells.
Immunotherapy in pills (PDF - ITA)
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