immunotherapy, medical treatment in which the body’s own cells or chemicals are used to help the natural immune response work against disease. Immunotherapy is mainly used in the treatment of cancer, though it is also sometimes used to treat autoimmune diseases. Immunotherapy leverages the ability of the immune system to detect and attack antigens (foreign substances). In the case of cancer, for example, certain types of immunotherapy are designed to target so-called tumor-specific antigens, which are found only on the surface of cancer cells. These antigens are altered forms of normal self-antigens and are therefore foreign. They effectively evade recognition ...(100 of 702 words) Access the full article Help support true facts by becoming a member. Subscribe today!