What is immunotherapy?
It’s a kind of treatment for cancer that helps to increase the immune system to fight with cancer of an individual. Our immune system prepares the body to protects from various diseases and infections which are made up of white blood cells, organs, and nerves of the lymph system. Unleashing the power of the immune system is the best way to fight cancer and immunotherapy works the same way.
Immunotherapy edifies the immune system to find and attack the specific cancer cells and boost immune cells to help them act against cancer cells.
What are the types of Immunotherapy?
Different Immunotherapy works in different ways. Some treatments help the immune system to stop or slow the growth of cancer cells, Others help the immune system to destroy cancer cells or stop cancer from spreading to other parts of the body. Two or more immunotherapy can be combined to cure cancer. Below are the few types of immunotherapy used to treat cancer –
Immune Checkpoint inhibitors – Checkpoints, that are an integral part of the immune system, is been weakened and hence immune system responds slowly. Immune checkpoint inhibitors are the drugs blocking immune checkpoints empowering the immune system to respond strongly.
T-cell Transfer Therapy – T-cells are those cells that fight cancer. This treatment is one of its own that boosts T-cells' natural ability to fight against cancer. It is a process where strong active cells are taken from a tumor, changed/mutated in the lab to fight against cancer, and put back again inside the body.
Monoclonal antibodies – Also called therapeutic antibodies, these immune system proteins are generated in the lab to fight against specific cancer cells.
Treatment Vaccines – Different from the vaccines that help to prevent disease, this vaccine helps in boosting the immune system to fight against cancer cells.
Immune System Modulators – Specific parts of the immune system that enhances a patient’s body immune response against cancer cells
For which type of cancer Immunotherapy used?
As every type of cancer is unique and has different ways to occur thus every immunotherapy has a different impact on each cancer in a different way. Immunotherapy used to treat different types of cancer e.g. bladder Cancer, Brain cancer (Brain Tumour), Breast cancer, Cervical Cancer and Ovarian Cancer, colon cancer, head and neck cancer, Kidney Cancer, Liver Cancer and lung cancer, Leukemia, Prostate cancer, Skin Cancer, Lymphoma, etc.
Is there any special testing needed before immunotherapy?
Sometimes immunotherapy doesn’t benefit some patients. So, the doctor suggests some specific tests that can be performed on tumor tissue (biopsy specimen). The test called a predictive test is indicative of how the patient will be benefitted from immunotherapy. Some of these tests are -
PD-L1
TILs (Tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes)
TMB (Tumor Mutation Burden)
MSI (Microsattelite Instability)
For the different tumors, different tests are suggested by the oncologist. Patients can search for oncology specialists on Credihealth’s web portal in nearby areas. They can also book lab testing appointments suggested by an oncology specialist.
Immunotherapy cost in Hyderabad
Immunotherapy is an effective and popular treatment for various types of cancer. Usually, the cost of immunotherapy for cancer treatment may vary on the value of the drugs chosen for the treatment, type of tumor, stage of cancer, prevalence of the tumor, and the degree of tumor malignancy, etc. An Individual can browse the best Immunotherapy for cancer in Hyderabad to find the best oncologist at an affordable cost. The average Immunotherapy cost in Hyderabad for one cycle starts from 1 lakh and can go up to 4 lakhs. Usually, 3-4 cycles are needed.
How Credihealth can help to find the best clinic for Immunotherapy
Credihealth the biggest healthcare platform brings you everything at your fingertips such as the best doctor, hospital & clinic, booking diagnosis tests, buy online medicine, book home care services and get a medical emergency loan. One just needs to raise an inquiry through Credihealth’s online portal or call on 8010-994-994 for anything related to Medicare services.