Leukemia Monoclonal Antibody Therapy
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Monoclonal Antibody Therapy for Leukemia
One common type of immunotherapy used at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) for the treatment of leukemia is monoclonal antibody therapy.
Monoclonal antibodies (MAbs or MoAbs), are laboratory-produced antibodies (proteins) that locate and bind to specific substances (antigens) on cancerous cells and eventually destroy the cells. In other words, the monoclonal antibodies are programmed to make leukemia cells more visible to the immune system and to block their growth signals.
Monoclonal antibody therapy may be used alone to destroy leukemia cells, or they may be attached to chemotherapy drugs to deliver high concentrations of the drugs directly to the tumor cells.
Helping You Maintain Your Quality of Life
Some potential side effects of using monoclonal antibody therapy to treat leukemia include: flu-like symptoms (fever, chills, headache, etc.), skin rash, nausea, diarrhea and shortness of breath.
Your CTCA care team will provide various supportive therapies to help you manage these treatment-related side effects. For instance, naturopathic therapies can help alleviate nausea, and nutrition interventions can prevent diarrhea. Also, oncology rehabilitation can help you breathe more easily, while mind-body therapies can reduce stress and help you relax.
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