Side Effects of immunotherapy
What is immunotherapy and how does it work
Immunotherapy is a new advancement in cancer treatment that uses the patient's own immune
system to fight cancer. Your immune system is your body’s natural
defense that fights against infections and diseases.
Our immune system is equipped with an army of cells including Tcells, that fight foreign
invaders like cancer. Immunotherapies target and activate these
Tcells and can teach your immune system what cancer looks like so that it can best fight
off cancer cells Immunotherapy can be used to treat many different
kinds of cancer including melanoma, lung cancer, kidney cancers, bladder cancer and others
What is the difference between immunotherapy and chemotherapy
Immunotherapy treatment is a new cancer treatment that is not the same as chemotherapy but is
often confused with chemotherapy, but how they work inside your body is very different
more importantly the side effects can be very different.
Chemotherapy targets cancer cells directly and can attack both cancer cells and our own
healthy cells and this can result in a variety of side effects.
Immunotherapy medications on the other hand work by boosting your body’s own immune
system so that your immune system will fight the cancer.
By doing so your immune system works harder than normal, and it may affect your healthy
cells, and organs, and cause what is called immune related side effects.
body.
What are the symptoms and side effects of immunotherapy
Narrator: All patients are different and not everyone
will experience the same side effects. There are side effects that you should pay
close attention to however and those are side effects that are outside the way you normally
feel. Some common side effects from immunotherapy
are: Flu-like symptoms that can include a mild fever, chills, aches and pains, fatigue,
skin rash and itchy skin.
Another common immune related side effect it’s called Vitiligo this side effect seams
to occur more often in melanoma patients. Vitiligo is when your skin colour changes
or it gets blotchy, it can even cause changes to the colour or thickness of your hair, eyelashes,
eyebrows and facial hair. Sometimes these changes can be permanent
Other less common but serious skin side effects to watch for are:
• worsening skin rash, • sores on your skin or mouth,
• blistering or peeling skin. If any of these occur contact you healthcare
professional right away
If you develop shortness of breath or cough, it could mean inflammation of the lungs also
known as pneumonitis and symptoms may include: • Trouble breathing or catching your breath
• Fever • New or worsening cough and chest pain
Immunotherapy can also cause intestinal problems: which could mean inflammation of your
Intestines also known as colitis. Some of the symptoms that are associated with
colitis are • Diarrhea
• More bowel movements than usual • Blood in your stools or dark stools
• Abdominal pain or tenderness • And Cramps
Some patients will also have an enlarged or inflamed liver, something that we refer to
as Hepatitis And this may cause:
• Abdominal pain • Fever
• Nausea and vomiting • Yellowing of your skin or eyes
• Darker urine. Hepatitis is more often detected on your blood
tests, and you might not have any symptoms at all.
Hormonal or gland problems, affecting organs like the thyroid, adrenal glands, pituitary
gland, pancreas Usually these issues are found on the blood
work your doctor will order while you are on the immune therapy.
These conditions are typically not reversible Sometimes you may also have symptoms like:
• feeling very thirst or frequent urination • dizziness
• feeling faint • muscle aches
• hair loss • rapid heart beat
• headache • weight changes
• extreme fatigue • changes in eye sight
These conditions are typically not reversible.
There are other rare side effects that can effect your
• Eyes • Nerves
• Brain • Muscles
• and Heart
Combination therapy: Dr. Petrella:
Some patients will be on combination immunotherapy, this means that you are receiving treatment
with more than one immunotherapy drug. If you are on a combination of immunotherapy
drugs the side effects are the same, but are much more common, and can be more severe.
Side effects can happen at anytime even years after the treatment as finished, there are
effective treatments for many of the side effects should they happen and this is why
it is important to identify and treat them early.
It is important that you speak to your heath care team if you are experiencing any of these
symptoms. Early recognition and treatment is the key
When going to ER or a hospital it’s important to know that not every hospital may be familiar
with your cancer drug treatment. Immunotherapy treatment is very new and not all health professionals
are familiar with it or its side effects. We recommend you bring the name of the drug
you are receiving as well as the name of your Oncologist.
Lastly, If you are receiving immunotherapy treatment and you or your partner are planning
a pregnancy, it is important that you discuss this with your health care team. Do not get
pregnant during Immunotherapy; this drug treatment may harm the baby.
Consult your doctor to find out when it will be safe to become pregnant
Patients on Immunotherapy treatment should avoid live vaccines. All vaccinations should
be considered only after careful assessment from your health care provider.
Remember: Call if you are experiencing any new symptoms
Early recognition and treatment is the key