Is Immunotherapy a Safe and Effective Treatment for Prostate Cancer?

Prostate cancer treatment currently depends on surgical removal, radiotherapy, and hormone therapy. In the past years, another therapeutic method has emerged immunological treatment. Immunotherapy modulates and strengthens one’s immune responses versus cancer. Neoplastic cells naturally escape from the control of the immune system of the body and the main target of immune therapy is to bring the control back. Satisfying outcomes after the investigation of advanced melanoma and lung cancer suggest a great potential for immunotherapy as an approach for other tumors’ treatment, especially in patients primarily introduced to palliative care..

Research on Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer:

After beginning stage clinical trials, immunotherapy seems to have different side effects than chemotherapy. Prostate cancer was the first neoplasm in which a specific vaccine significantly improved survival. There is tremendous potential for synergistic combinations of immunotherapy with conventional cancer treatments.

A combination of so many drugs or methods can be a key in the radical treatment of metastatic prostate cancer. Cancer of the prostate was seen as an inflammatory disease for a long time. Recent studies on murine models revealed that chronic inflammation is preceded by endothelial changes that allow immune cell extravasation.

Many researchers have evaluated the linked between specific immune cells and prostate cancer. In prostate cancer, we have learned to use a significant quantity of vaccines but they are still behind the results observed in other solid tumors like as melanoma, bladder and kidney cancer, and non-small-cell lung cancer. Currently several vaccines for prostate cancer are available; however, most of them fail to meet expectations. Prostate Cancer cells usually proliferate slowly, providing the time needed to elicit an immune response, even in patients with advanced disease.