[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/10\/chemotherapy-vs-immunotherapy\/#Article","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/10\/chemotherapy-vs-immunotherapy\/","headline":"Chemotherapy vs. Immunotherapy: What’s the Difference?","name":"Chemotherapy vs. Immunotherapy: What’s the Difference?","description":"Your meta description should be 160 characters or less, include the target keyword(s), and accurately describe your story in a way that entices readers to click. Note: Do not include quotation marks, as these trigger truncation. \r\n\r\nExample: \"Thanks to social media, it's easier than ever to advertise your content. But is it worth it? Discover why three online advertising experts say yes.\"","datePublished":"2020-10-28","dateModified":"2023-09-13","author":{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/hillman.upmc.com\/","name":"UPMC Hillman Cancer Center","url":"https:\/\/hillman.upmc.com\/","sameAs":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/upmc-hillman-cancer-center\/","parentOrganization":"UPMC"},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"UPMC HealthBeat","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/UPMC-HealthBeat-Logo.png","width":600,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Living-with-Lymphedema.jpg","url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/10\/Living-with-Lymphedema.jpg","height":325,"width":754},"url":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/10\/chemotherapy-vs-immunotherapy\/","about":["Cancer Care","Health Topics A-Z"],"wordCount":557,"articleBody":"There are many treatment options available to cancer patients. Depending on your type of cancer, your oncologist might recommend chemotherapy or immunotherapy. These two treatments are often confused with each other because they both fall under medical oncology. But they are very different.What Is Chemotherapy?Chemotherapy (chemo) is a treatment often used for cancer patients. Chemo drugs generally work by killing cancer cells directly and\/or preventing cancer cells from multiplying. Doctors use chemo \u2014 either one drug or a combination of drugs \u2014 to treat the cancer, keep it from spreading, and\/or slow tumor growth.When people hear chemotherapy, they automatically think side effects will occur. While very common, side effects depend on the type of chemotherapy used and vary for each person. Because chemo targets cells of the body that divide quickly, it can also affect bone marrow (which makes both white and red blood cells), hair follicles, and the lining of the gastrointestinal tract. This leads to side effects such as:Bone marrow suppression.Diarrhea.Fatigue.Nausea\/vomiting.Temporary hair loss.Chemotherapy can be used before surgery to shrink a tumor or after surgery to try to kill any remaining microscopic cancer cells.Patients can receive chemo intravenously (IV) or by mouth. It can be given in the hospital, at an outpatient care center, a doctor\u2019s office, and, sometimes, at home. Oncologists typically give chemotherapy in cycles, with a break between to allow the patient to rest and recover.What Is Immunotherapy?While chemotherapy fights the cancer directly, immunotherapy stimulates the immune system to work harder and fight the cancer.\u201cWhen patients receive chemotherapy for metastatic cancer, they must continue chemotherapy to have benefit,\u201d says Moon Fenton, MD, a medical oncologist and hematologist at UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Beaver.\u201cWhen chemotherapy is discontinued, the cancer usually recurs or grows back. However, many patients who respond to immunotherapy can continue to have a long duration of responses or remission \u2013 months to years \u2013 even after stopping treatment.\u201dThere are different types of immunotherapy, including:Adoptive cell therapy.Cytokine therapy.Monoclonal antibodies that target immune checkpoints.Vaccines.While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved some immunotherapy agents, others are available only in clinical trials.Immunotherapy may be given as a single treatment. Or it may be combined with other treatments, including chemo, radiation, and surgery.Oncologists or oncology nurses administer immunotherapy via an injection in the skin or directly into the tumor, or through an IV. Most immunotherapy can be given on an outpatient basis. For some types, you may need to be hospitalized for all or part of the treatment.As with most treatments, immunotherapy comes with possible side effects, including:Chills.Diarrhea.FatigueFever.Loss of appetite.Rash.Skin irritation around the injection site.Although chemotherapy and immunotherapy target and attack cancer cells differently, taking care of yourself can lessen their side effects and help you heal faster. Be sure to get enough rest, eat a healthy diet, exercise (with your doctor\u2019s approval), quit smoking, and reduce alcohol use.Social and emotional support also will help you get through treatment. And always talk to your cancer care team with questions or concerns about your health and well-being.Find a UPMC Hillman Cancer Center near you.Editor's Note: This article was originally published on October 28, 2020, and was last reviewed on September 13, 2022."},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"2020","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"10","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/\/10\/#breadcrumbitem"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Chemotherapy vs. Immunotherapy: What’s the Difference?","item":"https:\/\/share-dev.upmc.com\/2020\/10\/chemotherapy-vs-immunotherapy\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]