Cancer immunotherapy includes a range of treatments that use your own immune system to fight this often deadly disease. Proponents of these methods of treating cancer have been muted for decades, their research summarily dismissed as “new age” medicine.
As it turns out, your body wants to fight cancer as badly as it fights stomach flu or infection. It simply has a blind spot when it comes to cancerous cells.
Immunotherapy is the act of targeting the immune system rather than the tumor – and the results to date are fairly astounding.
Named as Science Magazine’s Breakthrough of the Year in 2013, columnist Jennifer Couzin-Frankel wrote, “Immunotherapy marks an entirely different way of treating cancer – by targeting the immune system, not the tumor itself. Oncologists, a grounded-in-reality bunch, say a corner has been turned and we won’t be going back.”
By ramping up your own natural defense system to fight for you, you increase your chances of beating cancer if you are diagnosed.
Biological Response Modifier Therapy
This type of immunotherapy provides your immune system with natural (made in your body) or synthetic (created in a lab) substances and proteins to boost your ability to fight disease.
Compounds created from living or lab-created organisms are used as a sort of cancer vaccine containing cancer-based antigens that boost immunity against all destructive cells in your body. They have shown promise against cancer cells but are not specifically targeting those cells.
Other Targeted Cancer Therapies
Using DNA material, scientists have also been able to create targeted cancer antibodies that inhibit the growth of cancer cells.
Different from chemotherapy – which kills healthy cells along with cancer cells – targeted therapies work on the cellular level with specific identifiers based on your genes and the proteins present in your cancer. Removing the blind spot, targeted therapies are a more precise treatment that has shown incredible results in stopping the growth and survival of cancer cells.
Targeted cancer therapies are rapidly becoming part of traditional medicine’s arsenal against cancer. Here are some of the most common according to the National Cancer Institute:
- Hormone therapies – many cancers are hormone-sensitive (such as breast and prostate) and utilize hormones to grow and spread. Hormone therapies interfere with the hormones required – slowing, and delaying growth. (Note that drugs such as tamoxifen are actually classified as chemotherapy and are quite toxic).
- Signal transduction inhibitors inhibit the improper signaling that occurs among cancer cells. Normally a cell will respond to signals from its environment. Sometimes, however, cancerous cells are stimulated to replicate without being prompted by this signaling process. Signal transduction inhibitors discourage the improper signaling that occurs among these malignant cells.
- Apoptosis inducers boost this natural process in your body. Also known as “cell suicide” – cells that are damaged usually know to destroy themselves. Cancer cells do not follow this protocol but an increase in apoptosis-inducers can force the death of cancer cells.
- Angiogenesis inhibitors prevent cancerous tumors from getting the blood supply they require to continue to grow. By removing the blood, necessary nutrients and oxygen required for growth and replication are denied. Essentially the tumor starves to death.
- Monoclonal antibodies are toxins that piggyback on molecules to target cancer cells specifically without causing damage to healthy cells lacking the biomarkers specified. Since non-cancerous cells will not possess this antibody, the treatment is highly precise.
Some targeted treatments are already in use in the fight against cancer. Others are still in human trials to determine safety and efficacy. Some of the above are being used as complementary methods of treatment in conjunction with chemotherapy as they are not effective as stand-alone treatments.
Potential Drawbacks to Cancer Immunotherapy
Cancer immunotherapy is showing great promise. However, there are some major drawbacks to them as well as other targeted therapies. One is that cancer cells can become resistant to them. Hence, often times two or more therapies are used simultaneously or concurrently to improve efficacy.
Unfortunately that leads to drawback number two. When combined, a patient will then suffer additional quality of life and quantity-of-life side effects.
Immunotherapies, like other targeted and conventional therapies, come with a host of side effects. The most common side effect is diarrhea and liver problems. There is also the risk that the response can be excessive, triggering something similar to an autoimmune disorder.
Patients have also reported significant inflammatory responses such as pneumontitis (cough and difficulty breathing) and colitis. Others have developed pancreatitis, rashes, and endocrine, adrenal and thyroid issues. Not to mention other unpleasant conditions. Interestingly, these conditions are then treated with immune suppressing drugs… go figure.
Because immunotherapies use your built-in immune system functions for better results in recognizing, targeting, and destroying cancer cells, they are something that deserves some attention and further study. In the meantime, you will find less toxic cancer fighting and prevention options here on the The Truth About Cancer website.
Article Summary
Immunotherapy is the act of targeting the immune system rather than the tumor. It was named as Science Magazine’s Breakthrough of the Year in 2013.
By ramping up your own natural defense system to fight for you, you increase your chances of beating cancer if you are diagnosed.
Biological Response Modifier Therapy is a type of immunotherapy that provides your immune system with natural (made in your body) or synthetic (created in a lab) substances and proteins to boost your ability to fight disease.
Using DNA material, scientists have also been able to create targeted cancer antibodies that inhibit the growth of cancer cells. Here are some of the more common types:
- Hormone therapies
- Signal transduction inhibitors
- Apoptosis inducers
- Angiogenesis inhibitors
- Monoclonal antibodies
Like other targeted and conventional therapies, immunotherapies come with a host of side effects. The most common is diarrhea and liver problems.
Because immunotherapies use your built-in immune system functions for better results in recognizing, targeting, and destroying cancer cells, they deserve further study. In the meantime, you will find less toxic cancer fighting and prevention option here at the The Truth About Cancer.
At least with immunotherapies and targeted therapies, one does not lose their hair which I will hate, if I had to do chemotherapy. I have heard that they are also trying viral therapy on melanoma cancer patients and many people had done well with it. They do not lose their hair, nor feel nauseous nor vomit, nor develop cold sores in the mouth nor feel numbness in their feet. They just feel flu like symptoms. One little girl called Emma Whitehead whom I watched on YouTube had leukemia three years ago in 2013 and the chemotherapy was not working on her and the doctors thought that she was going to die. The doctors gave her immunotherapy and now she has been cancer free for three years and is alive and well. One guy in his thirties whom I read in the newspaper had stage 4 melanoma in 2011 and he used immunotherapy and now he has no sign of cancer today. Whether the little girl and the guy in his thirties had side effects or not with the immunotherapy, I do not know. I just read that they are just cancer free with this therapy and are alive and well.
gerson therapy has much better results for melanoma and no nasty side effects like immuno. great quality of life!
Considering the costs and negative side effects of Immunotherapies it would hardly seem a consideration when we have Phototherapy Glutathione patches doing the same thing, but far better with a host of other benefits. The patches are something anyone can easily use, are accepted by the medical systems in over 100 countries including FDA and have NO Harmful side effects. Another consideration could be ingested or IV Induced Glutathione. However these methods can still cost several hundreds of dollars each month for a minimal effect. The Phototherapy patches are up to 20 times more effective with just a fraction of the cost. We have extensive clinical studies showing improved organ function with the patches so they are already well proven for effectiveness. It is not hard to make decisions on this subject. Rob wellnessplus@adam.com.au
How and where do you get Phototherapy Glutathione patches?
Hi Katrina, if you email us at wellnessplus@adam.com.au we will send back further details of the patches and how to obtain them.
They are extremely easy to use, No drugs, No chemicals, No supplements and work purely with communicating with the body’s energy system for a powerful near instant positive effect. Actually as easy as applying a band aide but with a bonus for changing so many lives to the better. Well worth considering for everyone no matter what condition they could be suffering with.
Please call me or write. My sister has cancer and needs any help we can get.
thanks,
Miryam Jimenez 954 608 4067
I have stage 1B lung cancer (adenocarcinoma) and have been on Tagrisso for 6 months, with some nasty side effects. I am very interested in more information on how to obtain these products.
I have been contacted by staff and doctors at Chipsa Hospital, and they have told me they can make a vaccine based on the tissue from my original biopsy, if it’s still available, to kill my prostate cancer. Is this what immunotherapy is, or is the procedure that was told me something different?
I am also at the point that I no longer trust any cancer information sent to me, and, as for your own list of doctors, I have no idea who to talk to from your list, since of the specialties associated for those doctors are listed; I will only talk to those doctors who specialize in prostate cancer issues, and without a specific list, I am not even able to accomplish, leaving me to wonder if it is even worth the effort to continue my battle. I am at the edge of defeat…
I have known about Essiac for years and it was part of your TTAC Global Summit. It cures cancer by drawing it unto itself, putting a shell around it then it pulverizes itself and leaves the body. It’s a preventative as well. But if one has had Cancer it is recommended they stay on it for life and one does not become immune to its benefit, like with antibiotics. It must originate in Canada, and check the legal agreement online to be sure it is from the Respirin Corporation. President Kennedy’s Dr Brusch worked with Rene Caisse. People couldn’t say her name so she spelled it backwards so they could remember and pronounce it. Now with the new info of Cancer stem cell killers, it probably won’t be necessary to stay on Essiac for life. I told a young woman about it who had it in her bones and could only climb the stairs to her house once a day. Then she was in a wheelchair. She mentioned Essiac to her Dr and she said, sure take it. What have you got to lose. Well, Marie was out of the wheelchair, climbed the stairs 4 times a day and has since moved to FL. Only comes back for visits to her dr about once a year. It comes in a capsule form now, so no more difficult times preparing it under sterile conditions. If you can get your hands on a copy of a book called The Essiac Report by Richard Thomas you will learn how since the 1920s or 30s people have been taking this natural product consisting of 4 herbs. You’ll see how the Medical Establishment tried to hold her back by botching up her testing and when they said bring in those you cured; she brought in 1,000, she had more, but they would only see 48 and said, she could only cure 48. It will cure cancer even if it is in your lymph!!! Only if an organ is completely burned out, it cannot restore it. Good luck, good health to all. And God Bless you!
Betty Egeland,
I too have been diagnosed with bone cancer from Breast cancer that I had ten years ago. How many capsules a day do you take of this Essiac? I have totally changed my eating habits. Only organic veggies and fruits. Juiced for one full month and now only juice in mornings. No GMO’s, pesticides, chemicles etc…
I did not know once you have cancer that you should stay on Essiac for life. I guess I will get on it. Are there different capsules forms? I just started hearing about TTAC when it aired in April. I wish i new 10 years ago, what I know now about Cancer. I would have changed my eating habits and done things differently a long time ago. I probably wouldn’t be going thru this now. Appreciate your input.
Was diagnosed with lung cancer ,had targeted radiation, now i have several spots on my bones and stomach,would love to have feedback from any survivors. seems like everyone has their own remedy. Not sure what to do?
Cancer Immunotherapy and Other Targeted Cancer Therapies , please read about chaga and taxifolin or bio dihydroquercetin for cancer , prostate cancer treatment. http://www.baikal-legend.ru
Ibrutinib was approved for treatment of all leukemias in March 2016. Is this considered a type of immunotherapy?
My understanding with Essiac Tea is that one must purchase the 4 high quality herbs and prepare, measure and brew the tea exactly outlined on the website as described by Marie’s assistant who obtained Caisse’s original recipe vs capsules that may be unreliable and innefective. I have been drinking this tea 3times/day for almost one month and don’t have results as of yet. I pray this along with an organic, plant-based diet and after a major detox, will negate any need for radiation to my pelvic area nor any chemo… God Bless.
Although there are promising, targeted immunotherapies on the horizon, the immunotherapy programs standard in cancer centers today are not targeted at all. Nivolumab (Opdivo) & the other -lumab medications are purely “shotgun” approaches to cancer in that, according to oncologists, they “turn on the immune response switch” so that it no longer modulates when a threat arises in the body, but rather stays on 24/7. If the immune system does eliminate the cancer, as it did in my case, then the immune system continues looking for action. This leads to side effects which can be deadly, as the boosted immune system can attack the endocrine, cardiovascular & nervous systems as well as other areas. I suffered more than a dozen side effects and was disabled from work. Glad to be alive, but it came w/ a serious cost due to immunotherapy.
Hi. Did you do the duel ipilimumab and Nivolumab immunotherapy. Can I ask what cancer you had and what stage. And what were the side effects that disabled you. This is what they want me to have for my metastatic melanoma. Jen
Hallo
Mein Name ist Udo und ich wohne in Deutschland .
Meine Frage = Ich soll als Therapie jetzt Ibruitinib bekommen 3 Tabletten am Tag .
Ich werde auch Flor Essence Tee trinken 3x 80 ml und die gleiche menge Wasser dazu.
Kann ich die Tabletten verringern ? Und wie lange muß ich den Tee in der menge trinken ?
Hi Udo,
The best advice we can give you is to consult with one of the doctors/experts that we interviewed in our Global Quest Series. Here is a link to get their information: https://thetruthaboutcancer.com/experts-info-sheet/
It’s a tea Betty,
Best wishes