Immunotherapy
Immunotherapy is a biological therapy which treats a condition by altering the body’s immune system.
There are two different types of immunotherapy.
Activation immunotherapy causes a reaction or an amplification of an immune response, whereas suppression immunotherapy reduces or suppresses the immune system’s response.
Immunotherapy for mesothelioma is an activation immunotherapy. The aim of this potentially ground-breaking treatment is to help stimulate the immune system to attack mesothelioma cells.
Immunotherapy For Mesothelioma
There are a number of different immunotherapy treatments:
Monoclonal Antibodies (MABs)
The blood naturally contains antibodies which help us to fight infection. MABs therapy copies the natural antibodies and makes more in the laboratory.
They are then introduced to the patient’s body and attach themselves to proteins on the cancer cells, making it easier for the immune system to find and attack them.
Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines
In the same way that vaccines protect us against general illnesses such as the flu virus, they can also be used to treat cancer.
There is a wide range of vaccines that could help in the fight against cancer. Ultimately, they aim to stop cancer growth, destroy cancer cells left after treatment and prevent cancer from returning.
Adoptive T-Cell Transfer
This treatment changes the genes in the patient’s white blood cells, also called T-cells, through genetic engineering, to help them identify and destroy cancer cells.
These are just a few examples of immunotherapy treatments that may help in the fight against mesothelioma. Although immunotherapy has only recently started to be used in the treatment of cancers, including mesothelioma, the research has been ongoing for decades.
We are now finally seeing positive results with this treatment and have successfully recovered tens of thousands of pounds in compensation to cover private treatment costs as part of successful asbestos disease claims
Benefits of Immunotherapy
There are some benefits to immunotherapy over other treatments, with the main benefits being:
Targeted approach
Immunotherapy is a targeted treatment, meaning that it does not affect the healthy cells, unlike chemotherapy which affects all cells.
Improved Prognosis
Although immunotherapy for mesothelioma treatment is relatively new, early signs have indicated that patients are surviving for longer compared to those who undergo other treatments.
Fewer Side Effects
Thanks to the targeted approach, immunotherapy has been found to be less toxic when compared to chemotherapy, resulting in fewer side effects.
It is thought that side effects of this new treatment may be easier to control when compared to symptoms caused by highly toxic non-targeted chemotherapy treatment.
Other drugs can be used in combination with this treatment to assist in reducing the side effects, such as anti-sickness drugs.
Can Be Used Alongside Other Treatments
Immunotherapy does not have to be used on its own and can be effective as a treatment combined with chemotherapy and/or surgery.
It is more common at present for mesothelioma sufferers to undergo chemotherapy as a so-called “first line” treatment, with private immunotherapy treatment being provided as a “second line” method of tackling the asbestos-related disease.
Immunotherapy Success For Mesothelioma
Immunotherapy does not work for everyone, but there have been a number of success stories with people with mesothelioma.
One example is Mavis Nye, a mesothelioma warrior, was diagnosed in 2009 and was part of a Keytruda (pembrolizumab) clinical trial in 2014. She was reported to have experienced a “complete response” from the treatment and twelve years post-diagnosis, was free from cancer
Compensation For
Immunotherapy Costs
Immunotherapy is not widely available for mesothelioma patients. Many mesothelioma sufferers have enrolled and been accepted onto randomised clinical trials for immunotherapy, and many have experienced great success with their treatment.
The law firm has helped clients claim the cost of private immunotherapy treatment from offending employers, other parties and their insurers. This means they can access the treatment privately without having to worry about the cost.
There may be a number of cycles of immunotherapy needed, and this can all be included as part of the mesothelioma claim.
