Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancer Immunotherapy

What is cancer immunotherapy?

Cancer immunotherapy is a treatment that stimulates the immune system’s ability to attack and suppress cancer cells by activating the immune cells.
During treatment, the immune cells related to the attack of cancer are isolated from the patient’s blood, cancer tissues, ascitic fluid, pleural fluid, et cetera. Immune cell proliferation, activation, and functions are regulated in vitro; then, they are injected back into the patient’s body.

Characteristics of cancer immunotherapy

The synergistic effects of cancer immunotherapy can be observed when it is combined with other treatment methods.

If this treatment is combined with peptide-based vaccine (neoantigen/oncoantigen) therapy and immune checkpoint inhibition therapy administered at our clinic, synergistic effects can be expected.
The synergistic effects can also be expected when it is combined with standard therapies, such as chemotherapy (anticancer drugs) and radiotherapy.

Almost no serious side effects

Since cancer immunotherapy activates the immune system, serious side effects are not frequently observed.
However, as the treatment is administered by injection, temporary redness, swelling, and/or itching at the injection site, as well as slight fever, malaise, et cetera., may be observed as in the case of vaccination.

NEO Clinic Tokyo’s Cancer Immunotherapy

At NEO Clinic Tokyo, “cancer immunotherapy” appropriately combined with other treatment methods is provided following the policy of “precision medicine” to maximize the therapeutic effect.
The NEO Clinic Tokyo handles the following three types of “cancer immunotherapy”

• Neo NK cell therapy (hyperactivated NK cell therapy)
• Neo T cell therapy (αβT-cell therapy)
• Neo tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) therapy (intratumoral infiltrating lymphocyte therapy)

Neo NK cell therapy (hyperactivated NK cell therapy)

The NK cells are a type of lymphocytes that attack the cancer cells. They constantly patrol the body to find and attack abnormal cells quickly. In an attempt to evade attack from immune cells, the cancer cells may hide one of their unique fragments (major histocompatibility complex [MHC] molecules). The NK cells attack cancer cells even when they hide the fragment, showing enormous killing capability.
“Neo NK cell therapy (hyperactivated NK cell therapy)” enhances the capability to kill cancer cells after they are collected from the patient’s blood, activated in vitro, and injected back into the patient’s body.
A more powerful attack on cancer can be expected if the “Neo NK cell therapy (hyperactivated NK cell therapy)” is properly combined with peptide-based vaccine (neoantigen/oncoantigen) therapy and immune checkpoint inhibition therapy, which are administered at our clinic, or with other treatment methods, including chemotherapy (anticancer agents) and radiotherapy.

Neo T cell therapy (αβT-cell therapy)

T cells are a subtype of lymphocytes that elicit an immune response to attack cancer cells and other abnormal cells. Of the two types of T cells, αβT cells play a central role in attacking abnormal cells. Cancer cells actively incorporate the molecules that suppress immunity in the process of proliferation and create an environment that avoids immune attack and elimination of these cells. αβT cells also play a role in removing the immunosuppressive environment created by cancer cells and inducing an immune response.
“Neo T cell therapy (αβT cell therapy)” is a therapy where T cells including αβT cells are collected from the patient’s blood, activated and proliferated in vitro, and injected back into the patient’s body.
A more powerful attack on cancer can be expected if the “Neo T cell therapy (αβT cell therapy)” is properly combined with peptide-based vaccine (neoantigen/oncoantigen) therapy and immune checkpoint inhibition therapy, which are administered at our clinic, or with other treatment methods, including chemotherapy (anticancer agents) and radiotherapy.

Neo tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) therapy (intratumoral infiltrating lymphocyte therapy)

TILs are highly specific immune cells that have already recognized cancer cells as foreign bodies and are contained in cancer tissues and cancerous ascitic/pleural fluid. Because the TILs have already recognized cancer cells as foreign bodies, they no longer express cancer antigens again and directly attack cancer cells. A previous clinical study on melanoma (malignant melanoma) showed surprisingly high response rates.
“Neo-TIL therapy (tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapy)” is a treatment where the TILs are cultivated and proliferated in vitro, and then injected back into the body to enhance their ability to attack cancer cells.

Flow of Cancer Immunotherapy

A rough description of the flow of cancer immunotherapy is presented as follows, although some minute details are provided depending on the treatment.

At NEO Clinic Tokyo, “cancer immunotherapy” combined with other treatment methods is provided following the policy of “precision medicine” to maximize the therapeutic effect.