At Intermountain Cancer Centers, medical oncologists and clinicians specializing in immunotherapy are exploring new treatments to stop or slow the progression of tumors by stimulating the immune system. They take a team approach to care, working collaboratively to investigate and find treatments that meet patients’ individual needs and goals. Patients are central to this personalized approach, and our experts work with them to make informed decisions about cancer immunotherapies.
Cancer immunotherapy may be an effective option for patients with certain forms of cancer including melanoma, Hodgkin’s lymphoma, kidney, lung, bladder, and head and neck cancers. Standard-of-care cancer immunotherapies provided at Intermountain Cancer Centers include checkpoint inhibitors, which block a mechanism that cancer cells use to shut down or hide from the immune system and free killer T-cells to attack, as well as oncolytic viruses, which are genetically modified viruses that can directly kill cancer cells and teach the immune system to attack the cancer.
In addition to providing these established immunotherapies that have been approved for years for certain types of cancer, the Cancer Immunotherapy Program at Intermountain Cancer Centers invests in the future by engaging in research and offering clinical trials to increase opportunities for effective cancer treatments.
Depending on the type and extent of the cancer, these cancer immunotherapy treatments may be paired with other forms of treatment such as radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and targeted therapies. Your medical oncologist will work together with other experts on a multidisciplinary cancer care team to determine the best possible treatment for your specific needs.