What is immunotherapy and how does it treat cancer and other conditions?
Immunotherapy is a biological treatment that utilizes the immune system to combat diseases, particularly cancer. Over the past decade, clinical trials for immunotherapies have surged, with a focus on various conditions beyond cancer, including infections and autoimmune disorders. Researchers are exploring how these therapies work and their potential to improve patient outcomes.
- ▪Clinical trials of immunotherapies have increased significantly, from 1,257 trials between 2006 and 2016 to 4,591 in the past decade.
- ▪Cancer patients have benefited from various immunotherapies, with dozens approved for over 30 types of cancer.
- ▪Research is ongoing to understand why some patients respond well to immunotherapy while others do not.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
A nurse preparing a new immunotherapy injection for more than a dozen cancers, at the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Hertfordshire. Photograph: Shivansh Gupta/PAView image in fullscreenA nurse preparing a new immunotherapy injection for more than a dozen cancers, at the Mount Vernon Cancer Centre in Hertfordshire. Photograph: Shivansh Gupta/PAImmunologyExplainerWhat is immunotherapy and how does it treat cancer and other conditions?From infections and allergies to brain diseases and autoimmune disorders, a wave of trials offers hopeIan Sample Science editorFri 22 May 2026 10.00 EDTLast modified on Fri 22 May 2026 10.01 EDTSharePrefer the Guardian on GoogleClinical trials of immunotherapies have rocketed in the past decade as researchers have turned their understanding of the body’s…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at The Guardian — UK.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from The Guardian — UK
