Faire face au cancer du col de l’utérus : l’immunothérapie est-elle une option ?

Overview

Cervical cancer is a global health issue for women, with over 600,000 new cases and 340,000 deaths in 2020. It is one of the most frequently diagnosed cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of death in women aged 15 to 45 years. Apart from chemo and radiotherapy, due to advanced research and medical studies, other treatment options have emerged in recent days. Immunotherapy is one such treatment for cancer. If you want to explore this option with your cancer specialist, then you are on the right page. Continue reading to know more.

What is Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy, often known as biological therapy, is a cancer treatment that works by increasing the patient's immune system, allowing it to fight cancer more effectively.

Our immune system protects us by destroying any foreign bodies that pose a health risk for us.

Even though the immune system can combat cancer cells to a degree, the mutation of these cancer cells prevents them from being destroyed.

Immunotherapy can assist a patient's immune system to become stronger and more capable of fighting cancer.

Why do you need to undergo immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy works by altering the immune system's function. There are two different reasons why it might be done:

• To stimulate or strengthen your body's natural defense system, allowing it to recognize and fight cancer cells.
• Using lab-created components that are similar to immune system components to restore or improve the immune system.

This can aid in the destruction of cancer cells that have undergone genetic modifications which makes them invisible to the immune system. Or can attack those specific proteins that can shut down your immune cells and immunity as well.

What are the types of immunotherapy?

As suggested by the eminent cancer specialist, there are various types of immunotherapy based on their mechanism of action on the host immune system and interaction with cancer cells.

• Immunological checkpoint inhibitors, which are medications that block particular immune checkpoints, allow the immune system to attack cancer cells more aggressively.
• T-cell transfer therapy, also known as adoptive immunotherapy, is a treatment that boosts T-cells' inherent ability to fight cancer.
• Monoclonal antibodies, also known as therapeutic antibodies, are lab-made proteins that bind to specific sites on cancer cells.
• Treatment vaccines are injected directly into the patient's body to enhance their immune system.

• Immune system modulators can help enhance the immune system in a specific location of the body or throughout the body.

What are the treatment options for cervical cancer using immunotherapy?

Apart from the standard treatment options like chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and targeted therapy, immunotherapy has been accepted as an effective treatment for cancer.

According to Cancer Research Institute(CRC), FDA has approved three kinds of immunotherapy treatment options for cervical cancer. This can relieve the female reproductive cancer symptoms in women and prepare the body to fight for cancer as well.

• Targeted antibodies
• Immunomodulators
• Preventive vaccines

How immunotherapy is performed?

Immunotherapy works by injecting drugs into the patient's body. This can be done in a variety of methods, including:

• Intravenously means that the medications are injected directly into the vein of the patient.
• Orally, in which tablets or capsules must be swallowed
• The drug is applied and massaged onto the skin over the affected area topically.
• Intravesically, the therapy is delivered directly to any specific organ like injection into the bladder, with the goal of treating bladder cancer.

How often do you need one?

The therapy may be given for days, weeks, or months at a time in certain circumstances, while in others, it may be given in cycles at short intervals.

The number of immunotherapy sessions required is determined by a number of criteria, including the type of cancer, its stage, the type of immunotherapy used, and your overall health.

Can you consider immunotherapy for female reproductive cancer treatments?

In recent times, various immunotherapy medications have proved to be effective to treat signs of cancer in women.

Thus the overall use of immunotherapy to reduce the risk of various reproductive cancer such as cervical, ovarian, vaginal, uterine, and vulvar has been increased.

The immunotherapy treatment has outweigh the risks associated with it. The benefits that come with the therapy includes-

• This can be used with chemotherapy, radiotherapy as an adjuvant. Thus increasing the efficacy of the treatment.
• Having fewer side effects in comparison to others. As it works along with the immune system of your body without targeting any other cells.
• Immunotherapy may work when other cancer therapies have failed like- in skin cancer, immunotherapy can successfully resolve the issue.
• Cancer recurrence is less with immunotherapy. As this targets your cancer cells for preventing cancer, it can register this into immune memory(it can remember the cancer cells as a threat or foreign body) and can go after cancerous cells, if they come back.

Why should you consider getting cancer treatment in India?

India is the most favored place for cancer treatment operations for a few major reasons. And if you are searching for the best cancer hospital in India, we will help you out to find the same.

• India's cutting-edge techniques,
• Advanced medical diagnostic equipment
• Cancer research studies
• Successful clinical trials
• medical skills, and
• Cervical cancer treatment costs in India are among the best in the world, as our patients need affordable and quality outcomes.

All these have significantly increased the success rate of immunotherapy for cancer treatment in India.

Conclusion-By simply packing their medical journey to India, cancer treatment can substantially benefit the patient. We also offer a comprehensive range of counseling for coping with emotional challenges to our international patients.

How can we help in the treatment?

If you are in search of a cancer treatment hospital in India, we will serve as your guide throughout your treatment and will be physically present with you even before your treatment begins. The following will be provided to you:

• Opinions of expert physicians and surgeons
• Transparent communication
• Coordinated care
• Prior appointment with specialists
• Assistance in hospital formalities
• 24*7 availability
• Arrangement for travel
• Assistance for accommodation and healthy recovery
• Assistance in emergencies

We are dedicated to offering the highest quality health care to our patients. We have a team of highly qualified and devoted health professionals that will be by your side from the beginning of your journey.