Immunoterápiák

Immunoterapias, often referred to as immunotherapy, represent a class of medical treatments that harness the power of the patient's own immune system to combat diseases, most notably cancer. Instead of directly attacking diseased cells, immunotherapies work by stimulating or enhancing the immune system's natural ability to recognize and destroy abnormal cells. This approach marks a significant shift from traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiation, which directly target and kill rapidly dividing cells, often with substantial side effects.

The development of immunotherapies has been a revolutionary step in medicine, offering new hope for patients with previously intractable conditions. There are several major types of immunotherapies currently in use. Checkpoint inhibitors are a prominent example. These drugs work by blocking specific proteins on immune cells that normally act as "brakes" on the immune response, allowing the immune system to more effectively attack cancer cells. Another category includes adoptive cell transfer, where a patient's own immune cells are collected, genetically modified in a laboratory to better target cancer, and then reinfused into the patient. Cancer vaccines, though still an evolving area, aim to stimulate an immune response against cancer cells by introducing antigens that the immune system can recognize. Monoclonal antibodies are also used in immunotherapy; these are lab-made proteins designed to attach to specific targets on cancer cells, marking them for destruction by the immune system or blocking their growth signals.

While immunotherapies have shown remarkable success in treating certain cancers and other diseases, they are not without limitations and side effects. These can range from mild flu-like symptoms to more severe autoimmune reactions, where the overstimulated immune system attacks healthy tissues. Research continues to expand the applications of immunotherapies and to refine their safety and efficacy.