Immunotherapy is one of the promising new modalities of cancer treatment. Suppose you’re providing skilled nursing care for an elder in California. In that case, you should read on and find out how immunotherapy can help treat or even cure cancer.
Now, scientists believe that cancer is, at its core, caused by the failure of the immune system to recognize carcinogens as harmful foreign bodies. Cancer cells are damaged cells that should have died and replaced. However, they manage to survive and continue spreading throughout the body.
If the body’s immune system can recognize cancer cells as malignant microorganisms, it can mount an appropriate response to prevent their spread in the body. This is the goal of immunotherapy, making it a potentially ideal treatment for cancer patients receiving senior care in California.
Immunotherapy is not just one modality of treatment. The term applies to four specific therapies, and these are:
- CAR T-cell therapy
This therapy reprograms the body’s white blood cells so it will attack cancer cells upon detection. This therapy is considered ideal for patients with lymphoma or leukemia. - Synthetic cytokines
In this mode, the patient receives synthetic versions of the cytokines, which provide the immune system with a boost to fight off infections and cancer. - Monoclonal antibodies
MABs work by attaching themselves to cancer proteins and marking them for “deletion” by the immune system. They also prevent cancer cells from suppressing an immune system response.
With time, immunotherapy could yield positive results and be widely used for cancer treatment.
If you need assistance with home health care in Los Angeles, California, feel free to call us at Silver Star Home Health, Inc.
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