A REVOLUTIONARY FORM of cancer treatment known as immunotherapy— a type of biological therapy that boosts the immune system’s ability to identify and destroy cancer cells—is having a profound impact on outcomes for scores of patients, including many whose disease had already progressed to an advanced stage.
Siddharth Kunte, MD, of The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers, defines this leading-edge treatment approach as “the use of medications that affect the immune system either positively or negatively. That is, they either amplify or dampen the immune system. For purposes of cancer treatments, the focus is on medications that activate the immune system to fight cancer,” he says.
Dr. Kunte states that immunotherapy is similar to traditional chemotherapy only to the extent that both are medications that travel throughout your body to fight cancer. “Chemo is delivered mostly through the veins or a port, though some types are given as pills. Immunotherapy is usually given through the veins without the need for a port, and research is ongoing to see whether it can be injected safely under the skin as well,” he explains.
Despite sharing a similar mode of delivery, immunotherapy and traditional therapy differ in several key ways. “One is that traditional therapies try to kill cancer cells directly, whereas immunotherapy activates the patient’s own immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells,” Dr. Kunte comments.
“The side effects of treatment also differ between the two forms,” he says. “Traditional chemotherapy side effects, such as nausea, hair loss, and low blood counts, are usually predictable, while immunotherapy, though generally safer than chemo, tends to be more unpredictable in terms of side effects. They can range from no side effects whatsoever to the rare patient who ends up hospitalized with severe side effects. Immunotherapy can also cause an inflammatory response in the body if the immune system acts against healthy cells or tissue.”
Since its advent, immunotherapy has truly revolutionized cancer care, resulting in a much greater quantity and quality of life for patients. “The biggest benefit is that immunotherapy significantly increases the chances of durable remission, which is something we rarely see with chemotherapy. In addition, immunotherapy is usually easier to tolerate for elderly patients or those dealing with other medical or surgical issues,” says Dr. Kunte. Which cancers tend to respond well to immunotherapy? According to Dr. Kunte, extensive data indicates that melanoma, kidney cancer, and lung cancer are among the best in terms of treatment success—even at advanced stages. “At stage 4, all of these cancers used to be fatal within months, but now many of these patients are alive and well five years later thanks to immunotherapy.” Gastric cancer, esophageal cancer, gall bladder cancer, certain breast cancers, and various other cancer types have also been shown to respond well to immunotherapy, Dr. Kunte notes.
Looking forward, Dr. Kunte is optimistic about the innovative ways cancer immunotherapy might be used to an even greater effect in the future. “Researchers are exploring different ways to reduce the dose and treatment duration to reduce side effects, as well as ways immunotherapy can be used to de-escalate other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation. Also, for situations in which a cancer is very difficult to treat, for example because it has spread to the brain or spinal cord, research is showing that immunotherapy can be injected into the spinal canal to treat those areas,” he says.
Looking back over the relatively brief history of cancer immunotherapy, it’s evident that harnessing the power of the body’s own immune system to fight cancer has already had a profound impact on the field of oncology. “Over the last decade or so, immunotherapy has altered the way we approach people who have cancer, including stage 4, and has given us the ability to provide effective treatment to a much broader patient population than was ever possible before,” says Dr. Kunte.
The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers, located at 1200 Medical Center Parkway in Maumee and 4126 N. Holland Sylvania Road, Suite 105 in Toledo, also provides imaging, laboratory, chemotherapy, specialized pharmacy, and IV services. The cancer center consists of 10 medical and 3 radiation oncologists along with 9 advanced practice providers. The cancer center also has satellite centers in Napoleon, Bowling Green, Wauseon, and Monroe.
The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers has earned Patient-Centered Specialty Practice recognition and Oncology Medical Home recognition from the National Committee for Quality Assurance. Oncology homes align systems and resources with coordinated care focused on cancer patients and their needs. This reduces fragmentation, supports shared decision making, and improves the patient experience. They are the first oncology practice in the state of Michigan and the second oncology practice in the state of Ohio to receive this recognition.
For more information, please call The Toledo Clinic Cancer Centers at 419-479-5605. ✲
