Why combination therapy is sometimes better than either alone
Chemoimmunotherapymeans combining chemotherapy drugs with immunotherapy drugs to treat cancer.
This immune response is, in fact, the basis for the newer approach to cancer treatment called immunotherapy.
Immunotherapy
Immunotherapytakes a different approach than chemotherapy, and does notdirectlykill cancer cells.
Verywell / Lara Antal
Instead, these treatments are, simplistically, designed to enhance our immune system’s ability to fight cancer.
Often, however, there are pieces missing that would allow these drugs to work most effectively.
This is where chemotherapy comes into the equation.
In other words, the goal can be thought of as combining one plus one to get four.
Rationale and Potential Mechanisms
Describing the potential benefits of chemoimmunotherapy requires reviewing some cancer biology.
There are a few different ways in which chemotherapy may enhance the effects of immunotherapy.
Not all death of cancer cells results in an activation of an immune response (immunogenic cell death).
While complicated, these changes can be thought of as similar to what occurs with a vaccine.
In theory, this response should continue to work long after the treatment (chemotherapy) has been completed.
This effect can be either positive or negative.
Unfortunately, in very high doses, chemotherapy can result in suppression of the immune system (myelosuppression).
Since activation of immune response is the goal of chemoimmunotherapy, very high doses could be counterproductive.
Research is in progress.
This included approaches such as metronomic chemotherapy to see if these could enhance the immune response.
that often occurs after the immune system is stimulated by immunotherapy.
Some of these include photodynamic therapy, radiation therapy, hydrostatic pressure, and oncolytic viruses.
Theside effects of chemotherapyare well recognized and can include immunosupression, nausea, hair loss, and more.
The most common symptoms are those that end in “itis” referring to inflammation, such as pneumonitis.
Even though the tumor appears larger, it actually may be smaller.
Thisprecision medicine, may not only lead to more effective treatments, but with fewer side effects.
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