For many years, there were only three ways to treat cancer: chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. But recently, a new form of cancer treatment has become increasingly popular. It’s called immunotherapy, and doctors at RCCA believe it’s transforming the practice of oncology and will continue to do so in the future.
Most patients with cancer receive chemotherapy, a treatment that uses drugs to kill cancer cells. Immunotherapy, on the other hand, doesn’t target the cancer directly. Instead, it harnesses the power of a person’s immune system to fight back against the cancer. Normally, cancer cells are smart and know how to hide from our immune system. But through immunotherapy treatments, the immune system learns how to identify cancer cells and kill them.
In some cases, immunotherapy is even more effective than chemotherapy. And while chemotherapy is very effective in its own right, it can also have problematic side effects. According to Mount Holly, NJ oncologist Dr. James Lee, chemotherapy ultimately kills cancer cells and healthy cells. “As a result,” he explains, “this causes a lot of the side effects seen with chemo, such as low blood counts, nausea and vomiting, hair loss and an increased risk of infection.” In contrast, immunotherapy tends to elicit milder, short-term flu-like symptoms.
For those who are eligible for immunotherapy, it opens up the door for more treatment options, including more clinical trials. The cancer types that respond best to immunotherapy are lung cancer, metastatic melanoma, metastatic kidney cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma and cancers of the head and neck. However, only your oncologist can determine which form of treatment is most appropriate for your needs.
“Here in Mount Holly,” says Dr. Lee, “I have patients on immunotherapy who have achieved continuous control of their cancer for two years or longer. Not everybody responds to this type of treatment, but for those who do, the results can be quite impressive.”
The first immunotherapy treatment, or checkpoint inhibitor, was approved by the FDA in 2011. Since then, many other kinds have also been approved for patient use, and Dr. Lee expects even more to come in the future.
From highly advanced technology to cutting-edge treatments, RCCA remains at the forefront of cancer care innovation.
For more information or to schedule an appointment,
call 844-346-7222. You can also schedule an appointment by calling the RCCA location nearest you.
Infusion therapy is a treatment modality that administers medications intravenously. While most people associate infusions with cancer treatment, several different conditions can be managed and
Immunotherapy is an advanced type of cancer treatment. Instead of surgical procedures or radiation therapy, it works alongside the body’s natural immune system to fight
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Regional Cancer Care Associates is one of fewer than 200 medical practices in the country selected to participate in the Oncology Care Model (OCM); a recent Medicare initiative aimed at improving care coordination and access to and quality of care for Medicare beneficiaries undergoing chemotherapy treatment.
