Immunotherapy, a transformative cancer treatment, harnesses the immune system’s inherent ability to combat neoplastic cells. Ancient medicine hinted at immunological principles, recognizing natural disease resistance and the body’s defensive capabilities. Over time, the understanding of the immune system evolved, with key contributions from early thinkers like Ibn Sina and later scientific pioneers like Ilya Mechnikov.
The immune system, comprising innate and adaptive components, is vital in defending against pathogens and regulating cell proliferation, including cancerous cells. The concept of immune surveillance highlights the immune system’s role in preventing cancer development.
Modern immunotherapy includes several approaches: monoclonal antibodies target specific proteins on cancer cells to mark them for destruction; cancer vaccines prevent virus-related cancers like HPV and hepatitis B; adoptive cell therapy, including CAR T-cell and TIL therapies, enhances patients’ immune cells to fight cancer; checkpoint inhibitors block proteins that allow cancer cells to evade the immune response; and oncolytic virotherapy uses engineered viruses to destroy cancer cells and stimulate the immune response.
These therapies, based on profound immunological insights, represent a significant advancement in oncology, offering new hope for patients by leveraging the immune system’s power to combat cancer.