Biological Therapy for Cancer Treatment

What is biological therapy used for?

Biological therapy is the name of a group of medicines that help your immune system work better. The immune system is your body’s defense against infections and disease. Biological therapy may be used to fight cancer or to help prevent or lessen side effects from other cancer treatments.

Biological therapy may help the immune system fight cancer in different ways:

• It may make it easier for your immune system to identify and destroy cancer cells.
• It may stop or slow the growth of cancer cells.
• It may keep cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.

Other names for this kind of cancer treatment are biotherapy, immunotherapy, biologic therapy, and biological response modifier therapy (BRM).

Some medicines used for biological therapy are given as pills or shots that you can take at home. Others are given through an IV (into a vein) at a hospital or clinic.

How does it work?

Different kinds of drugs may be used for biological therapy. Many of the substances used for biological therapy occur naturally in the body. Some are manmade. Here are some examples of the types of biotherapy drugs:

• Interferons can help your immune system fight cancer cells. Interferons may also slow the growth of cancer cells or make them act more like normal cells.
• Interleukins help your body make more immune cells. These immune cells can then destroy cancer cells.
• Colony-stimulating factors (CSFs) help your body make more blood cells. This helps prevent or lessen the side effects of other cancer treatments.
• Monoclonal antibodies are substances created in the lab. They can attach themselves to cancer cells. They may be used to:
  • improve your immune response to the cancer
  • help stop the growth of cancer cells
  • deliver chemotherapy drugs directly to the cancer
• Nonspecific immunomodulating agents help the immune system work better to fight disease.
• Gene therapy is an experimental treatment that puts genetic material into your cells to fight or prevent disease. For example, a gene may be put into an immune cell to help it recognize and attack cancer cells.

What else do I need to know about this medicine?

• Your provider will tell you how often you need to get your treatment and how long you will need to be on the medicine. Follow your provider’s directions, including information about food or alcohol. Make sure you know how and when to take your medicine. Do not take more or less than you are supposed to take.
• Many medicines have side effects. A side effect is a symptom or problem that is caused by the medicine. Ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist what side effects the medicine may cause and what you should do if you have side effects.
• Like other cancer treatments, many biotherapy treatments can lower your white blood cell counts. They may keep your immune system from being able to fight infections.
• Try to get all of your prescriptions filled at the same place. Your pharmacist can help make sure that all of your medicines are safe to take together.
• Keep a list of your medicines with you. List all of the prescription medicines, nonprescription medicines, supplements, natural remedies, and vitamins that you take. Tell all healthcare providers who treat you about all of the products you are taking.

If you have any questions, ask your healthcare provider or pharmacist for more information. Be sure to keep all appointments for provider visits or tests.