Biotherapy/Immunotherapy for Melanoma
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Melanoma Treatment: Biotherapy/Immunotherapy
We at CTCA believe that cancer treatment can be enhanced by using your body's natural means of protection (i.e., your immune system). Also referred to as biological therapy, biotherapy or biological response modifier therapy, immunotherapy either directly or indirectly uses your immune system to help fight melanoma, or to reduce side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments.
When the immune system breaks down or malfunctions, cancer may develop. Biotherapy is designed to repair, stimulate or enhance your body’s own immune responses. CTCA employs cancer treatments such as interferon and colony stimulating factors in conjunction with conventional treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy.
Biotherapy may be used for several reasons, including:
- To stop, control or suppress processes that permit melanoma growth
- Make melanoma cells more easily recognized by your immune system, and therefore, more susceptible to destruction
- Boost the killing power of your immune system cells
- Alter melanoma cells' growth patterns to promote behavior like that of healthy cells
- Block or reverse the process that changes a normal cell or a pre-cancerous cell into a melanoma cell
- Enhance your body’s ability to repair or replace normal cells damaged or destroyed by cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation
- Prevent melanoma cells from metastasizing (i.e., spreading to other parts of your body)
Next Topic: Hematopoietic Growth Factors for Melanoma