What are biologic therapies?
ACS Answer
Biologic therapies are treatments that use the body's immune system to fight cancer or to lessen the side effects of some cancer treatments. Biologic therapies can interfere with cancer cell growth, help immune cells and other healthy cells control cancer, and help repair normal cells damaged by other forms of cancer treatment.
Biologic therapy is also called immunotherapy, biotherapy, or biological response modifier therapy. You may also hear terms such as interferons, interleukins, or tumor necrosis factor.
If you are having biologic therapy, or are caring for someone who is, ask the doctor to explain what kind it is and how it works. More than one kind of biologic therapy may be used, or it may be combined with chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Many biologic therapies are being tested in clinical trials. Your doctor or cancer care team should be able to tell you more about clinical trials using biologic therapies with your type of cancer.
What to do
- Keep scheduled medical appointments.
- Ask questions about expected side effects, what to do if they occur and when to notify a nurse or doctor.
- Call the doctor about symptoms such as nausea and vomiting.
Do not
- Miss any appointments
- Hesitate to ask questions about treatments
- Forget to report side effects to the doctor or nurse
- Take any medications without the doctor's approval
Call the doctor
- If you develop a fever
- If you have severe nausea or vomiting
Related Resources
More information about biologic therapies.
Immunotherapy for Specific Cancers
Biological Therapy (NCI)
Find books that cover this and other cancer topics at the American Cancer Society bookstore.
Recommended Consultation
You should consider discussing this topic with your doctor or health care team.
