Esophageal Cancer – Biotherapy/Immunotherapy
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Biotherapy/Immunotherapy for Esophageal Cancer
We at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) believe that cancer treatment is enhanced first by understanding, and then by utilizing your body's own power of protection. This is known as the immune system. Immunotherapy (sometimes called biological therapy, biotherapy or biological response modifier therapy) uses your body’s immune system, either directly or indirectly, to fight esophageal cancer or to lessen the side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments.
Cancer may develop when the immune system breaks down or is not functioning adequately. Biotherapy is designed to repair, stimulate or enhance your body’s own immune responses. Treatments, such as interferon and colony stimulating factors, are used now at CTCA, either alone or in conjunction with other modalities, such as surgery, radiation and chemotherapy.
Biotherapy may be used to:
- Stop, control or suppress processes that permit cancer growth
- Make cancer cells more recognizable, and therefore more susceptible, to destruction by your immune system
- Boost the killing power of your immune system cells, such as T-cells, NK-cells and macrophages
- Alter cancer cells' growth patterns to promote behavior like that of healthy cells
- Block or reverse the process that changes a normal cell or a precancerous cell into a cancerous cell
- Enhance your body’s ability to repair or replace normal cells damaged or destroyed by other forms of cancer treatment (e.g., chemotherapy, radiation)
- Prevent esophageal cancer cells from spreading to other parts of your body
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