immunotherapy

Examples of immunotherapy in the following topics:

• Cytokine Therapy

  • Immunotherapy is treating a disease by either inducing, enhancing or suppressing the immune system.
  • Immunotherapies designed to elicit or amplify an immune response are classified as activation immunotherapies.
  • On the other hand, immunotherapies that reduce or suppress immune response are classified as suppression immunotherapies.
  • The active agents of immunotherapy are collectively called immunomodulators.
  • Initially, immunotherapy treatments involved administration of cytokines such as Interleukin.

• Cancer Immunology

  • It is also a growing field of research that aims to discover innovative cancer immunotherapies to treat and retard progression of this disease.
  • Cancer immunotherapy attempts to stimulate the immune system to reject and destroy tumors.
  • BCG immunotherapy for early stage (non-invasive) bladder cancer utilizes instillation of attenuated live bacteria into the bladder, and is effective in preventing recurrence in up to two thirds of cases.
  • Injection immunotherapy uses mumps, candida the HPV vaccine or trichophytin antigen injections to treat warts (HPV induced tumors).
  • Lung cancer has been demonstrated to potentially respond to immunotherapy.

• Allergies

  • Immunotherapy employs the injection of allergens in order to gradually desensitize the body's response.

• Breast Cancer

  • This may include surgery, drugs (hormonal therapy and chemotherapy), radiation and/or immunotherapy.