Immunotherapy Flashcards
What is immunotherapy?
Uses immune system and components to recognise, target and destroy cancer cells
What is passive immunotherapy?
Ex-vivo activated cells/molecules that compensate for missing immune functions
What is active immunotherapy?
Stimulates effector functions in vivo
What does active immunotherapy require?
Patient to have a functioning immune system
What is the action of monoclonal antibodies?
Bind to specific antigen on cancer cell surface
Block signalling pathways
Arrest cell proliferation
What are the types of monoclonal antibodies used?
CD20 inhibitor
HER2 inhibitor
VEGR inhibitor
EGFR inhibitor
What is an example of a CD20 inhibitor?
Rituximab
What is rituximab used for?
Lymphoma
What are examples of HER2 inhibitors?
Herceptin
Tratuzumab
What are HER2 inhibitors used for?
Breast cancer
Gastric cancer
What is an example of a VEGR inhibitor?
Bevacizumab
What is bevacizumab used for?
Ovarian cancer
Bowel cancer
What are examples of EGFR inhibitors?
Cetuximab
Panitumumab
What are EGFR inhibitors used for?
Bowel cancer
What are side effects of monoclonal antibodies?
Skin toxicity Hair growth disorders Nausea Diarrhoea Fatigue Hypertension Myelosuppression
How do checkpoint inhibitors work?
T cells have PD-1 and B7.1 which detect cancer cells
Cancer cells produce PDL-1 which blocks PD-1 and B7.1
CTLA 4 is an immune regulator which binds to B7.1 and prevents T cells attacking other cells
What are examples of PD-1 inhibitors?
Nivolumab
Pembrolizumab
What are the uses for PD-1 inhibitors?
Melanoma
NSCLC
Renal cancer
What is the mechanism of PD-1 inhibitors?
Blocks PD-1 so that PDL-1 cannot bind
Allows T cell to recognise cancer cell
What is the mechanism of CTLA 4 inhibitor?
Blocks CTLA4 so that it cannot prevent T cell activity
What is an example of a CTLA4 inhibitor?
Imipilimumab
What is a use for imipilimumab?
Melanoma
What are side effects of checkpoint inhibitors?
Inflammatory skin reactions
Increased immune activity
N+V
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