Immunotherapy is an effective treatment for some cancers. What immunotherapy you receive depends on the stage and type of cancer. Side effects will also vary based on the type of immunotherapy you receive.

A doctor may recommend different options to treat and manage cancer. You’ve probably heard of chemotherapy or surgery. Another type of cancer treatment you may not be aware of is immunotherapy.

Immunotherapy can be an effective treatment for some cancers. Whether a doctor recommends it depends on your cancer type and its stage.

Below, we cover frequently asked questions about immunotherapy for cancer.

Immunotherapy involves using your immune system to fight infections and conditions like cancer. Cancer immunotherapy trains your immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.

Immunotherapy treatment is available in many ways, which include:

  • Intravenous (IV): administered into your veins
  • Oral: delivered in pills or capsules you can swallow
  • Topical: a cream applied to your skin (typically for early skin cancer treatment)
  • Intravesical: administered directly into your bladder

If you decide on immunotherapy, you’ll receive treatment at a doctor’s office, a clinic, or an outpatient hospital department. The duration of immunotherapy treatment depends on the stage, the type of immunotherapy, and your body’s reaction to the medication.

If you’re curious whether immunotherapy is an option, discuss your questions and concerns with your oncology team.

There are multiple types of cancer immunotherapy:

Some of the advantages of cancer immunotherapy are:

  • Treatment can reach areas of your body that surgery cannot.
  • It can fight cancer cells that aren’t dividing but may spread through your body.
  • It can target tumors and metastases (the spread of cancer) not visible in medical imaging.
  • It can help protect your immune system’s cells against cancer in the long term.

While immunotherapy doesn’t cure stage 4 cancer, it can improve the quality and longevity of your life.

Immunotherapy is a relatively new cancer treatment, with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approving more immunotherapies in recent years. But more research is needed to learn about its ability to reduce or eliminate cancer symptoms across all stages.

There’s not enough research to say that immunotherapy can help with all types of cancer.

But evidence suggests that immunotherapy may be an effective treatment for lung and kidney cancer.

With most medical treatments, you can expect to experience side effects. Immunotherapy is no different. Many people report various side effects after receiving treatment.

The potential side effects you may experience can vary based on your cancer stage, overall health, the type of immunotherapy you receive, and other factors.

Doctors sometimes recommend treatments like immunotherapy as a palliative care measure to control cancer symptoms after first-line treatments stop working.

Immunotherapy, like other treatments, may help with cancer pain management in people with advanced-stage cancers.

The use of immunotherapy closer to the end of life has increased lately, even though it’s also associated with worse end-of-life outcomes.

One 2022 study involving 356 people with hepato-pancreatic biliary cancer found that immunotherapy reduced the need for opioids and helped with pain management.

Immunotherapy is a promising treatment option for people with cancer. The treatment method, administered orally, intravenously, topically, or through your bladder, helps T cells detect and attack cancer cells, which may help reduce or stop cancer progression.

In some people, immunotherapy may improve overall survival rate and quality of life.

As with any cancer treatment, you may experience unpleasant side effects after receiving immunotherapy. Talking with a doctor about what to expect from the treatment, including possible side effects, is important.