• Flu-like symptoms such as fever,
chills, joint and muscle aches,
weakness, dizziness, nausea, and
feeling very tired
• Heart palpitations
• Diarrhea
You may also be told that you are at
increased risk for infection and instructed
on measures to take to protect you.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is treatment that uses
your own immune system to fi ght cancer.
Your immune system helps to fi ght
infections and other diseases. Although
immunotherapy is not as widely used as
other therapies, it is approved to treat
several types of cancer. Immunotherapy
can work to:
• Boost the immune system in general
• Train the immune system to attack
cancer cells
How Immunotherapy
Is Given
There are different ways to give
immunotherapy depending on what type
of cancer and treatment your doctor
prescribes for you.
• Intravenous: Medication is given
directly in your vein.
• Oral: Medication that is in pill or
capsule form that you will swallow.
• Topical: This type of medication is
usually a cream that you apply to your
skin. It is most often used for very
early skin cancer.
• Bladder: Medication that is given
for bladder cancer through a catheter
directly into the bladder.
Types of Immunotherapy
• Monoclonal antibodies: These are
man-made immune system proteins
that are designed to attack a specifi c
part of a cancer cell.
• Immune checkpoint inhibitors:
Drugs that recognize and attack
cancer cells.
• Cancer vaccines: Substance that
is put into the body to make the
immune system fi ght against certain
diseases. May be used to treat or
prevent cancer depending on the
need.
• Non-specifi c immunotherapies:
Used to boost the immune system to
attack cancer cells.
Where Immunotherapy
Treatments Are Given
• Infusion centers at the hospitals
• Doctor’s offi ce
• At home
Side Effects
Side effects can affect people in different
ways. Some side effects require specifi c
treatment. Contact your doctor if you
experience:
• Skin rashes
• Swelling from retaining fl uid
• Sinus congestion
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