Immunotherapy in the treatment of prostate cancer

Immunotherapy is the use of drugs to stimulate the patient's immune system, helping to recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively. Several immunotherapies have been studied and used to treat prostate cancer.

Sipuleucel-T (Provenge) is not only a cancer vaccine, but also an FDA-approved immunotherapy. While the essence of traditional vaccines is to help strengthen the body's immune system to prevent infection, this Sipuleucel-T vaccine supports the immune system to attack prostate cancer cells. prostate.

Vaccines are used to treat advanced prostate cancer in cases where the patient no longer responds to hormone therapy, but has few or no symptoms.

This vaccine is made individually for each person, the specific steps are as follows:
The patient will be connected to a special device to separate white blood cells (cells of the immune system) out of the blood within hours. The cells are then sent to the lab to be mixed with acid phosphatase protein from prostate cancer cells (prostatic acid phosphatase (PAP). This exposure aims to "train" white blood cells to recognize prostate cancer cells. Next, the white blood cells are sent back to the doctor's office and given to the patient through an intravenous (IV) line. These new white blood cells prompt other cells of the immune system to attack the prostate cancer tumor. This process is repeated 2 more times, 2 weeks apart so that the patient receives all 3 doses of cells.

There is no evidence that the vaccine stops prostate cancer from growing and lowers PSA levels, but it may help men live several months longer, increasing survival in these patients. with castration-resistant, metastatic cancer with few or no symptoms. However, like hormone therapy and chemotherapy, it has not been proven to cure prostate cancer.

Some common side effects from prostate cancer vaccines can include:
Fever Chills Fatigue Back and joint pain Nausea Headache The above symptoms usually begin during the infusion cells, are related to infusion time and usually last only a few days. Some men may experience more severe symptoms, including shortness of breath and high blood pressure, but usually go into remission once treatment is completed.

An important requirement of a healthy immune system is not to mistakenly attack the body's normal cells. To do this, the immune system uses "checkpoint" proteins on immune cells, which act like switches (on/off) to initiate an immune response. Occasionally, cancer cells also use these checkpoints to avoid being attacked by the immune system. Thus, drugs that target these checkpoints hold great promise as treatments for prostate cancer.
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Checkpoint inhibitors can be given to people whose prostate cancer cells are positive for specific gene changes, such as high level of microsatellite instability (MSI-H) or genetic changes in the Mismatch repair (MMR) system, also known as Mismatch DNA Repair Mechanism. Changes in the MSI gene or the MMR gene (or both) are commonly seen in people with Lynch syndrome.
The drug is also indicated in cases of cancerous tumors:
Begins to grow again after chemotherapy Cannot be removed by surgery Recurrence after prostate cancer treatment Metastasis to organs other of the body. The drug is given intravenously (IV) with a frequency of 2 - 3 weeks / time.

PD-1 is a checkpoint protein on the immune system's T cells, which helps prevent mistakenly attacking normal cells in the body. Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) that targets PD-1 enhances the immune response against prostate cancer cells. This approach has shown promising results in some men with prostate cancer and is still being studied.

Side effects of this immunotherapy prostate cancer treatment may include:
Fatigue Cough Nausea Itching Skin rash Decreased appetite Constipation Joint pain Diarrhea . Other serious side effects are less common. This medication works by suppressing the suppressive function of the immune system. Sometimes the immune system starts to attack other parts of the body, potentially causing serious problems in the lungs, intestines, liver, hormone-producing glands, kidneys or other organs, even life threatening. life threatening.
Therefore, it is very important to promptly report any new side effects to your doctor. If serious side effects occur, the patient may have to stop treatment for prostate cancer and take high-dose corticosteroids to suppress their own immune system.
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In a nutshell, immunotherapy is a method of using a patient's own immune system to fight cancer. Cancer vaccines and immune checkpoint inhibitors can boost or change the way the immune system works, helping to find and attack prostate cancer cells. If your or a loved one's treatment plan includes this therapy, learning more about how it works and how it works will help you better prepare and make health care decisions. insight.
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References: .cancer.org, hopkinsmedicine.org,

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