What is immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps your immune system fight cancer. According to the National Cancer Institute, the immune system helps your body fight infections and other diseases. It is made up of white blood cells and the organs and tissues of the lymph system. Immunotherapy is a type of biological therapy, which uses substances made from living organisms to treat cancer.

As part of its normal function, the immune system detects and destroys abnormal cells and most likely prevents or curbs the growth of many cancers. But cancer cells have ways to avoid the immune system — for example, by being less visible to it or by turning off immune cells. Immunotherapy helps the immune system to better act against cancer.

Several types are used, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, T-cell transfer therapy, monoclonal antibodies, treatment vaccines, and immune system modulators. Your healthcare team can tell you whether immunotherapy is an option for your type of cancer.