Immunotherapy (biologic therapy) uses your body’s immune system, the body’s main defense against infection and disease, to fight cancer. If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with cancer, knowing more about potential treatments can help you prepare for what’s ahead.
Immunotherapy is among the most cutting-edge cancer treatments today. Doctors continue to understand more about how this therapy works and who it could benefit. At MD Anderson Cancer Center at Cooper, our doctors’ extensive experience with specialized immunotherapies means we offer the people of South Jersey promising cancer treatments, in a compassionate environment.
Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment: What You Should Know
Your treatment team will determine whether you might benefit from immunotherapy based on factors such as the type and stage of the disease and where it’s located. Here are some details:
- What is immunotherapy? Immunotherapies unleash your body’s immune system to fight cancer. These therapies are usually given as an infusion (by IV) every two to three weeks, similar to how people receive chemotherapy. Treatment generally continues for as long as a therapy is working and you are tolerating the treatment well.
- How we use immunotherapy: Your care team will tailor treatment recommendations to your specific circumstances. Biologic therapies may be used alone or with radiation and chemotherapy cancer treatments. In general, immunotherapy may be used:
- Instead of chemotherapy
- After chemotherapy
- With chemotherapy
- Immunotherapy side effects: Your doctor will help prepare you for any side effects an immunotherapy might cause and what can be done to relieve them.
- How you benefit: Your response to immunotherapy will depend on many factors. Many immunotherapies today have proven to be very effective at fighting different types of cancer. While not all patients will respond to immunotherapy, some have received long-lasting benefits. Immunotherapy may serve as another treatment option after chemotherapy options have been exhausted.
Why Choose MD Anderson Cooper for Cancer Care?
As a partner of nationally recognized hospital MD Anderson Cancer Center, we offer a full range of cancer treatments. You benefit from our:
- Leading cancer care expertise: We offer a range of innovative technologies, therapies, and procedures for cancer diagnosis and treatment.
- Team approach to treatment: At MD Anderson Cooper, doctors from different specialties meet regularly to plan your care. This coordination ensures a treatment plan that’s designed specifically for you.
- Access to clinical trials: Our specialists participate in research studies investigating new cancer treatments. That means you could get the chance to take part in a promising clinical trial as part of your treatment.
- Full range of support services: A cancer diagnosis can affect every aspect of your life. We offer behavioral therapy, nutrition counseling, social work services, and many other types of support services to help you cope with the realities of cancer treatment. Learn more about our cancer care support services.
Cancers We Use Immunotherapy to Treat
As research evolves, doctors discover new ways to use immunotherapies to treat different types of cancer, for patients with certain genetic mutations. Your doctor can tell you whether immunotherapy may benefit you. At MD Anderson Cooper, we use immunotherapy to treat:
- Bladder cancer
- Head and neck cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Liver cancer
- Lung cancer
- Melanoma
- Stomach cancer
- Esophageal cancer
- Colon cancer
- Other cancers, depending on individualized molecular analysis
Contact Us
To learn more about immunotherapy treatments available at MD Anderson Cooper or to schedule an appointment, please call 855.MDA.COOPER (855.632.2667).
Refer a Patient
If you are a doctor who wants to refer a patient to MD Anderson Cooper for immunotherapy treatment, please call 855.MDA.COOPER (855.632.2667).