PD-L1 inhibitorĪtezolizumab (Tecentriq) is a drug that targets PD-L1, a protein related to PD-1 that is found on some tumor cells and immune cells. These drugs are given as an intravenous (IV) infusion, typically every 2 to 6 weeks, depending on the drug and why it's being given. After surgery (as adjuvant treatment) for certain stage II or III melanomas to try to lower the risk of the cancer coming back.That have spread to other parts of the body.This can often shrink tumors and help people live longer. By blocking PD-1, these drugs boost the immune response against melanoma cells. Pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and nivolumab (Opdivo) are drugs that target PD-1, a protein on immune system cells called T cells that normally help keep these cells from attacking other cells in the body. But these drugs target the checkpoint proteins, helping to restore the immune response against melanoma cells. Melanoma cells sometimes use these checkpoints to avoid being attacked by the immune system. To do this, it uses “checkpoints,” which are proteins on immune cells that need to be turned on (or off) to start an immune response. Immune checkpoint inhibitorsĪn important part of the immune system is its ability to keep itself from attacking normal cells in the body. Several types of immunotherapy can be used to treat melanoma. Many of these side effects can be treated or prevented and most, if not all, will pass after treatment stops.Immunotherapy is the use of medicines to help a person’s own immune system recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively. an increased risk of getting infections.This can cause a range of unpleasant side effects, such as: Side effects of chemotherapyĪs well as killing cancer cells, chemotherapy can damage some healthy cells in your body, such as blood cells, skin cells and cells in the stomach.

You'll usually have several treatment sessions, which will typically be spread over the course of a few months. You may be treated with one type of chemotherapy medicine or a combination of different types. chemotherapy tablets (oral chemotherapy) – this usually involves taking a course of medicine at home, with regular check-ups in hospital.chemotherapy given into a vein (intravenous chemotherapy) – this is usually done in hospital and involves medicine being given through a tube in a vein in your hand, arm or chest.Your doctors will recommend the best type for you. Types of chemotherapyĬhemotherapy can be given in several ways. Ask your doctors about the chances of treatment being successful for you. The effectiveness of chemotherapy varies significantly. relieve symptoms if a cure is not possible (palliative chemotherapy).reduce the risk of the cancer coming back after radiotherapy or surgery (adjuvant chemotherapy).make other treatments more effective – for example, it can be combined with radiotherapy (chemoradiation) or used before surgery (neo-adjuvant chemotherapy).try to cure the cancer completely (curative chemotherapy).When chemotherapy is usedĬhemotherapy may be used if cancer has spread or there's a risk it will. They stop cancer cells reproducing, which prevents them from growing and spreading in the body. There are many different types of chemotherapy medicine, but they all work in a similar way. Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment where medicine is used to kill cancer cells.

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