IMMUNOTHERAPY

Subject : Science and tech

Context : Cancer patients in India can get better access to immuno-oncology therapies, if more global trials on these drugs are undertaken in India, according to IQVIA, a human data science company.

Concept :

Immunotherapy

• Immunotherapy tries to help the immune system recognise cancer as a threat, and attack it.
• Rather than attacking the cancer directly, as chemo does, immunotherapy tries to rally the patient’s own immune system to fight the disease
• Immune system is a network of cells, tissues and bio chemicals they secrete. It defends the body against the viruses, bacteria and other invaders.
• Immune system does not stop cancer as cancer often finds ways to hide from the immune system or block its ability to fight
• Immunotherapy involves drugs that free immune cells to fight cancer. These drugs blocks a mechanism called checkpoint. Checkpoint is used by cancer to shut down the immune system