Immunotherapy is an innovative way to harness the power of the body’s immune system to fight threats like cancer. Normally, our immune system can detect and destroy abnormal cells on its own. But when cancer develops, it often uses tactics to fool the immune system, allowing the cancer to grow unchecked.
Chemotherapy is one of the most common cancer treatments, but it comes with a heavy toll on the body due to harsh side effects. Immunotherapy, on the other hand, holds the potential to minimize these side effects and even produce long-lasting effects on the immune system, which could lead to a sustained response against cancer.
Researchers from the IrsiCaixa and IGTP research institutes in Barcelona, Spain, shared promising findings at the European Association of Urology (EAU) Congress in Madrid. Their study showed the successful use of a simple new tuberculosis vaccine to help fight the most common type of bladder cancer by boosting patients' immune responses, proving the potential of immunotherapy yet again.
