If you’ve recently been diagnosed with endometrial cancer (EC), your doctor has likely discussed a number of potential treatment options with you. One of these is immunotherapy, a drug that tells your immune system to target and destroy cancer cells.
What is immunotherapy for EC?
Immunotherapy for EC usually targets immune checkpoints, which are proteins on the outside of cells that help control the body’s immune responses. Normally, these proteins are what keep your body from attacking your healthy cells and tissues.
In EC, the cancer cells might produce immune checkpoints, preventing your body from recognizing the cells as foreign and destroying them. Specifically, many cancer cells express an immune checkpoint called programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). To block the immune response, PD-L1 binds to a protein called programmed death protein-1 (PD-1) that is found on T cells, a type of immune cell. This tells the T cell not to attack the cancer cell, and prevents the immune system from fighting EC.
Read more about EC therapies
The goal of immunotherapy is to reverse this process by inhibiting immune checkpoints, allowing the body to successfully attack the EC cells. Some immunotherapy drugs that target PD-1 or PD-L1 include:
- Pembrolizumab
- Dostarlimab
- Nivolumab
- Durvalumab
- Avelumab
What to expect when you receive immunotherapy
Most of the time, immunotherapy is given through an intravenous (IV) infusion. If this is the case, you will receive treatment at your hospital or healthcare clinic. You can receive the drug through an IV that is placed in your arm or hand. A port or other central line can be used as well, if you have one. If you also need chemotherapy, you may be able to receive both treatments at the same time.
In some cases, immunotherapy can be provided via an injection under the skin or in pill form, but this depends on the type of immunotherapy you’ll be receiving.
The timing of immunotherapy also varies from person to person. Some may require it every day, while others may only need treatment once per month. Usually, though, treatment is given in cycles. You will receive immunotherapy on a schedule for a given period of time followed by a rest period. This rest period not only gives your body the much-needed time to recover from treatment, but also allows the immunotherapy time to work.
What are the side effects of immunotherapy?
As with many cancer treatments, immunotherapy may cause side effects. These include:
- Rashes, itchiness and other skin problems.
- Gastrointestinal complaints including vomiting and diarrhea.
- Hormonal fluctuations.
- Flu-like symptoms.
The purpose of immunotherapy is to direct your immune system to specifically attack cancer cells. However, some patients receiving immunotherapy might also experience autoimmune responses in other parts of the body, which can range from mild to severe.
Any side effects of immunotherapy should be brought up to your doctor to determine whether you might benefit from a different treatment plan or dosing schedule.
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