While checkpoint inhibitors are the main type of immunotherapy, there are some other types of immunotherapy that work in different ways. A few have been approved to treat particular cancers, but most are still being tested in clinical trials. Your cancer specialist can give you the latest information.
Type |
How it works |
Examples |
| immune stimulants | These treatments stimulate the immune system to attack cancer. |
|
| CAR T-cell therapy | Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy boosts the ability of T-cells to fight cancer. T-cells are removed from the blood and altered so they can better recognise cancer cells. The altered T-cells are then returned to the blood through an intravenous drip (infusion). |
|
| oncolytic virus therapy | This therapy uses viruses that infect cancer cells, causing the cells to die and stimulating the immune system to attack the cancer. |
|
Vaccines to prevent cancer
Some vaccines are not used to treat cancer, but can help prevent it. They do this by training the immune system to attack viruses that have been linked to certain cancers. The human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine helps prevent cervical cancer and also offers some protection against anal and penile cancers and some head and neck cancers. You can read more about the HPV vaccine at hpvvaccine.org.au. Vaccines against the hepatitis B virus help prevent liver cancer. Visit health.gov.au and search for “hepatitis B immunisation” for more information.
More resources
Dr Jenny Lee, Medical Oncologist, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, NSW; Prof Michael Boyer, Medical Oncologist and Chief Clinical Officer, Lung and Thoracic Cancer, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, and Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, NSW; A/Prof Christine Carrington, Senior Consultant Pharmacist Cancer Services, Princess Alexandra Hospital, QLD; Dr Inês Pires da Silva, Medical Oncology Fellow, Melanoma Institute Australia and Westmead and Blacktown hospitals, NSW; Sandra Donaldson, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council WA; Sherry Gilbert, Consumer; Marilyn Nelson, Consumer; Julie Teraci, Skin and Melanoma Cancer Nurse Coordinator, WA Cancer and Palliative Care Network, North Metropolitan Health Service, WA; Helen Westman, Lung Cancer Nurse Coordinator, Cancer and Palliative Care Network, Royal North Shore Hospital, NSW.
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