Pioneering treatment to destroy deadly cells

THERAPIES that activate the patient’s immune system to destroy cancer are known as cancer immunotherapies.

One type of immunotherapy consists of monoclonal antibodies. These are proteins that stick to one specific target typically expressed on cancer cells. Once bound, monoclonal antibodies activate other parts of the immune system to destroy the cell.

Other types of cancer immunotherapies activate cells called T-cells. T-cells kill tumour cells, move on and kill other cancer cells.