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Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses the power of a person’s immune system to fight their cancer. Instead of directly attacking cancer cells like chemotherapy or radiation, immunotherapy strengthens the body’s own defenses so they can recognize and destroy cancer cells better.
There are different types of immunotherapy, including drugs that help immune cells detect cancer, special antibodies that attach to cancer cells and identify them and cancer vaccines that train the immune system to respond. There is also CAR T-cell therapy.
Multiple Myeloma Care Tailored to You
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Immunotherapy for multiple myeloma most often uses CAR T-cell therapy. This involves taking a patient's own T cells from their blood, then sending them to a lab so they can be genetically modified.
Doing this allows the T cells to recognize the myeloma cells because a “chimeric antigen receptor” (CAR) is added. Once those modified T cells are reinfused back into the patient, they can attack the cancer cells. This process is a way to “train” a patient’s immune system to know how to target myeloma cells specifically.
Why Choose Fred Hutch for Immunotherapy for Multiple Myeloma
Fred Hutch researchers are leaders in discovering new ways to harness the immune system to fight cancer. Today, there are two FDA-approved CAR T-cell therapies for multiple myeloma offered at Fred Hutch. Our physicians and scientists are also studying immunotherapy and bispecific antibodies for multiple myeloma in clinical trials.
One of our latest clinical trials is looking at the side effects and best dose of BCMA CAR T-cells in patients with multiple myeloma that is positive for B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA-positive multiple myeloma, or BCMA+ multiple myeloma) that has come back or does not respond to treatment.
Immunotherapy is used together with other therapies to treat people with multiple myeloma, so it’s not possible to compare it to other treatments. Additionally, there is not a “one-size-fits-all” approach to multiple myeloma treatment and care for this disease is highly customized to each patient’s needs.
Immunotherapy can cause different types of side effects. A common side effect is skin problems, such as itchiness, rash or redness, especially at the injection site. Other immunotherapy side effects include gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea. Weight and appetite changes are common, too. Fever, nausea and vomiting, fatigue and muscle pain are possible side effects of immunotherapy for multiple myeloma as well.
Your care team at Fred Hutch is here to help you prevent or prepare for side effects and to relieve any side effects you have. The most important step you can take is to speak up and let your team know what you’re feeling. We’ve helped many patients and families through this process and know ways to ease your experience.
Often, there are medicines to help, like anti-nausea drugs. Based on the side effect, there may be a range of other helpful options too, like diet changes, physical therapy and emotional and practical support. We also offer integrative medicine, including acupuncture. Fred Hutch researchers continue to look for the best ways to keep side effects at bay.
Before you begin treatment, we talk with you in advance about what to expect, based on your treatment plan, and what can help if you do have side effects. We have many tools to help you feel better.
Please tell us about any side effects you are having so we can help. There are also supportive care services at Fred Hutch that you can be referred to such as integrative medicine and medical nutrition. If you have questions or concerns between appointments, you can call or message us in MyChart. We will make sure you know how to reach care providers at Fred Hutch after hours, if that’s when you need us.