Antibody Therapy for Cancer

What Is Antibody Therapy?

Antibodies are part of the human immune system. They can specifically bind certain harmful substances and organisms. Antibody therapy attempts to mimic this mechanism. Outside the patient's body, antibodies are developed that precisely fit specific target structures. They are then supposed to trigger further immune system reactions or can have a toxic effect due to attached substances. The idea of antibody therapy is to be able to treat disease as targeted as possible.

Which Cancers Are Antibodies Used for?

It now plays a significant role in cancer therapy in particular. Antibodies are used for numerous tumor diseases. In most cases, certain conditions must be met. For example, the tumor must have the structures against which the antibodies are directed. This is tested beforehand by taking a sample. For example, antibodies are sometimes used for the following cancers:

• Leukemias
• Breast cancer
• Stomach cancer
• Melanoma
• Lung cancer
• Colorectal cancer
• Tumors of the kidney, bladder, and female reproductive organs such as the ovaries, ducts, and cervix.

However, antibodies are also used in other diseases, in autoimmune processes, such as multiple sclerosis.

What Is the Difference Between Antibody Therapy and Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is a collective term for various treatment approaches that influence the immune system. One can roughly distinguish between stimulating and inhibiting effects on the immune system. In addition, immunotherapy can affect the immune system as a whole in a very general way, or it can be more specific. Vaccinations and hyposensitization for allergies are among the immunotherapies, as well as immunosuppression after organ transplantation. Antibody therapy is also one of these approaches, i.e., part of immunotherapy. The antibodies can be directed at specific structures hostile to the body, but they can also influence the immune system in general.

How Does Antibody Therapy Work in Cancer?

The exact mechanism of action is not always known. Often, several molecular processes are suspected of causing the effects.

For example, the following effects are possible. The antibodies match a specific receptor and can stimulate or inhibit it, thus inducing further reactions that are ultimately intended to inhibit cancer. Or the antibodies bind to tumor cells and can simultaneously activate the immune system, which then turns against the tumor. Or the antibodies may lead directly to cell death of the cancer cell.

In cancer therapy, antibody therapy is usually combined with other treatment methods such as radiation or chemotherapy.

Unfortunately, the various antibodies have typical side effects in common, so-called infusion reactions, such as fever, chills, and muscle pain. Depending on the antibody, other side effects may also occur.

Which Doctors and Clinics Perform Antibody Therapy?

If antibodies are used for tumor therapy, it is the respective oncologist who initiates the therapy. This is usually administered by infusions or injections (shots) but can sometimes be carried out by the patient himself during the course and be supervised by the general practitioner.

We help you to find an expert for your disease. All listed doctors and clinics have been checked by us for their outstanding specialization in the field of antibody therapy and are awaiting your inquiry or treatment request.

Source:

Aktories, Förstermann, Hofmann, Starke (Hrsg)(2017): Allgemeine und spezielle Pharmakologie, 12. Aufl, Elsevier, München