Immunotherapy

Your immune system helps detect and destroy invading germs. But because cancer cells are made from your own tissue, your immune system may not always see these cells as something that should be attacked. The goal of biological therapy, also called "immunotherapy," is to help your immune system recognize and fight cancer cells. There are several types of biological therapies. Let's look at the three main types.

Biological therapy patients are treated with substances commonly thought of as "natural." Your treatment may use proteins or other materials naturally produced by the human body. These are usually easier on your body than strong chemotherapy drugs. But biological therapy, also called "immunotherapy," does have side effects.