Why Intratumoral Immunotherapy Doesn’t Weaken the Body or Cause Hair Loss

In this blog post, we’ll discuss how intratumoral immunotherapy differs from traditional cancer treatments in terms of side effects. One of the most significant advantages of this method is that it doesn’t weaken the body or cause hair loss like chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Let’s take a closer look at why this is the case What Is Intratumoral Immunotherapy? Intratumoral immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that involves injecting immune-boosting agents directly into the tumor. The goal is to stimulate the patient’s immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells, without harming healthy tissue.
How Traditional Cancer Treatments Work: Chemotherapy and radiation therapy are traditional cancer treatments that work by killing rapidly dividing cells, including cancer cells. However, these treatments can also harm healthy cells, which can lead to side effects like hair loss and weakened immune function.
Why Intratumoral Immunotherapy Doesn’t Cause Hair Loss: Unlike traditional cancer treatments, intratumoral immunotherapy doesn’t target healthy cells in the body, only cancer cells in the tumor. As a result, hair loss, a side effect commonly associated with chemotherapy, is not a concern.
Why Intratumoral Immunotherapy Doesn’t Weaken the Body: Chemotherapy and radiation therapy can weaken the immune system, leaving patients more susceptible to infections and other illnesses. In contrast, intratumoral immunotherapy can actually boost the immune system by activating T cells and other immune cells to fight cancer cells.
Intratumoral immunotherapy is a promising cancer treatment that offers numerous advantages over traditional treatments. By targeting cancer cells directly, without harming healthy cells, it can reduce side effects like hair loss and weakened immune function. While there are still some side effects associated with intratumoral immunotherapy, they are generally milder than those associated with traditional treatments. As research into this method continues, it’s possible that it could become an even more effective and widely used cancer treatment in the future.

Reference: Vogt, A. (29 de August de 2019). Why Intratumoral Immunotherapy Doesn’t Weaken the Body or Cause Hair Loss. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Obtenido de https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2019/08/why-intratumoral-immunotherapy-doesnt-weaken-the-body-or-cause-hair-loss/