New Cancer Treatment: Immunotherapy
Sunday, 2026/04/19142 words2 minutes494 reads
After nearly 100 years of development, immunotherapy is changing how doctors treat cancer. This method helps the body's immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells.
Maureen Sideris experienced this breakthrough firsthand. When she had colon cancer in 2008, she needed surgery and faced a difficult recovery. Fourteen years later, she developed esophageal cancer. This time, she received immunotherapy through a clinical trial. Every three weeks, she got drug infusions. After four months, her tumor completely disappeared without surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation.
The treatment works because cancer cells can hide from the immune system. Immunotherapy unmasks these cells so the body can attack them. Two main types exist: CAR T-cell therapies and immune checkpoint inhibitors. However, these treatments don't work for everyone. Currently, only 20-40% of patients respond to immunotherapy. Researchers are working to improve these numbers through personalized medicine and combination treatments.
