Unleashing Immunotherapy - Progress and a Promise

By Srishti Tummala

Just 20 years ago, a person diagnosed with cancer had one year to live. Today, a disease that was once a death sentence is now beaten by 1 out of every 5 people. 20 years from now, scientists believe cancer will be cured. 

This sudden progress within the last 20 years can be attributed to immunotherapy, a field of medicine in which the body’s own immune system is used as a mechanism to fight cancer. Different from other methods of treating cancer, immunotherapy directly treats the immune system. This makes it more effective in working against all forms of cancer. While it has existed for over 200 years, it has experienced major advances in the last 20 years largely in part due to 2018 Nobel Laureate and immunologist James Allison. In a groundbreaking discovery, he recognized that the body’s own immune system can be used to hunt down and kill cancer cells. 

T cells have a protein called CTLA4 that “brakes” the immune system, preventing it from attacking the body’s own cells. This is problematic when faced with a cancerous cell that presents itself as a normal cell, as it remains unattacked. Therefore, Dr. Allison’s work was in suspending these brakes to allow the immune system to take action through the antibody Ipi (Ipilimumab). Although the drug only affected a minority of patients, the survival rate of those who were responsive to the drug was transformative: almost 20% of melanoma patients are now expected to live for up to a decade (versus just 4% 20 years ago). 

Immunotherapy, more than just a beneficial treatment, tells a story of resilience. At first, it was often ignored and denied as tumors actually seemed to grow in size as a result of the drug. However, scientists later realized that this was due to immune cells entering the tumor and that size was not always a measure of cancer progression, leading to the identification of more accurate indicators. Despite doubts of the success  of these immunotherapy drugs, scientists worked hard to produce what is now one of the most effective modes of treating cancer. 

Cancer still remains one of the leading causes of death in the US, yet people and children are living in an age where so many medical advancements are being made, giving them hope for a positive future. The story of immunotherapy only proves just how much can be achieved within the span of just 20 years, and it is up to us, as the future generation, to continue making progress for the sake of our society.