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Cancer Immunotherapy
Reviewed by Medicinsk Expert•Last updated: 2026-10-22•Cancers

Cancer Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a specialized cancer treatment that utilizes substances to boost the immune system's ability to identify and destroy cancer cells.

What is immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that helps your immune system fight cancer. It is a type of biological therapy. Biological therapy uses substances made from living organisms or versions of these substances made in a lab. Immunotherapy isn't used for all cancers, and the response to treatment varies. If you're getting immunotherapy, your health care provider will monitor your treatment closely.

When is immunotherapy used for cancer treatment?

Immunotherapy isn't used as often as other cancer treatments, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. But immunotherapy is used for some types of cancer, and researchers are doing clinical trials to see whether it also works for other types.

How does immunotherapy work against cancer?

Cancer begins in your cells, which are the building blocks of your body. Usually, your body forms new cells as needed, replacing old cells that die. Sometimes, this process goes wrong. When you have cancer, some of your cells begin to multiply without stopping, and old cells don't die when they should. They spread into the surrounding tissues.

One reason cancer cells can keep growing and spreading is that they can hide from your immune system. Some immunotherapies can "mark" your cancer cells. This makes it easier for your immune system to find and destroy the cells. It is a type of targeted therapy that uses medicines or other substances that attack specific cancer cells with less harm to normal cells. Other types of immunotherapies work by boosting your immune system to work better against cancer.

How is immunotherapy given?

There are different forms of immunotherapy, so how they are given varies. You could get immunotherapy intravenously (by IV), in pills or capsules, or cream for your skin. For bladder cancer, they might place it directly into your bladder.

How often and how long you get immunotherapy also varies. It depends on your type of cancer, how advanced it is, the type of immunotherapy you get, and how well it is working. You may have treatment every day, week, or month. Some immunotherapies are given in cycles, so your body has time to rest and recover.

What are the side effects of immunotherapy?

You may have side effects. The most common side effects are skin reactions at the needle site if you get it by IV. Other side effects may include flu-like symptoms or, rarely, severe reactions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Doctors consider several factors, including the type and stage of cancer, specific biomarkers found in the tumor (such as PD-L1 expression or microsatellite instability), previous treatments, and the patient's overall health. Immunotherapy is particularly effective for certain cancers like melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancer, and some lymphomas. Its potential benefits include long-lasting responses in some patients, even after treatment stops, and the ability to target cancer cells more specifically than traditional chemotherapy, potentially leading to fewer severe side effects in some cases.
Most immunotherapies are administered intravenously (IV) through a vein, similar to chemotherapy, in an outpatient clinic or hospital setting. Some may be given as injections under the skin. The frequency of treatments can vary from weekly to every few weeks, depending on the specific drug and cancer type. The duration of treatment is also highly variable; some patients receive it for a set period, while others continue treatment as long as it is effective and side effects are manageable, potentially for months or even years.
There are several types of immunotherapy. Checkpoint inhibitors are a common type that block proteins (checkpoints) on immune cells or cancer cells, which normally prevent the immune system from attacking cancer. This "releases the brakes" on the immune response. CAR T-cell therapy involves taking a patient's own T-cells, genetically modifying them in a lab to better recognize and attack cancer cells, and then infusing them back into the patient. Other types include monoclonal antibodies that directly target cancer cells, oncolytic viruses that infect and destroy cancer cells while stimulating an immune response, and cancer vaccines that boost the immune system's ability to recognize and fight cancer.
Immunotherapy side effects occur when the boosted immune system also attacks healthy tissues. Common side effects can include fatigue, skin rashes, diarrhea, nausea, and flu-like symptoms. More serious side effects can affect organs like the lungs, liver, kidneys, or endocrine glands, causing inflammation (e.g., pneumonitis, hepatitis, colitis). Management often involves corticosteroids to suppress the immune response and reduce inflammation, along with supportive care for specific symptoms. Close monitoring by your healthcare team is crucial to detect and manage these effects early.
Source: MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine

MedlinePlus brings together authoritative health information from the National Library of Medicine (NLM), the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and other government agencies and health-related organizations.

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