Immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. There are 2 main types of immunotherapies used to treat lymphoma:
Your haematologist will discuss which is best for you.
Checkpoint inhibitors
Checkpoint inhibitors are drugs that help the immune system recognise and attack cancer cells. This type of immunotherapy can be used to treat Hodgkin lymphoma. At this stage, checkpoint inhibitors are not used to treat non-Hodgkin lymphoma.
To work out if checkpoint inhibitor therapy is an option for you, your cancer specialist will consider the type and stage of cancer, your treatment history, future treatment options and your overall health.
Checkpoint inhibitors are given as a liquid through a drip inserted into a vein (intravenous infusion). They are usually given in repeating cycles, with rest periods of 2–6 weeks between cycles.
How often and how long you have the treatment depends on the type of cancer, the type of checkpoint inhibitor, how the cancer responds to the treatment, and what side effects you may experience. People can stay on checkpoint inhibitors for up to 2 years.
Checkpoint inhibitors can take weeks or months to start working. Sometimes they keep working long after treatment stops, but this varies from person to person.
Side effects
Because immunotherapy drugs act on the immune system, they can sometimes cause the immune system to attack healthy cells in any part of the body. This can lead to a variety of side effects such as skin rash, diarrhoea, breathing problems, inflammation of the liver, hormone changes and temporary arthritis. Your doctor will discuss possible side effects with you.
CAR T-cell therapy
Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy is a type of immunotherapy used to treat some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. This therapy works by boosting the ability of T-cells to fight cancer.
To make CAR T-cells, your own T-cells are removed from your blood and changed so they can better recognise cancer cells. A few weeks later, the changed T-cells are returned to the blood through an intravenous drip (IV infusion). You will stay in hospital for several weeks, and recovery will take time.
CAR T-cell therapy is available only for some types of B-cell lymphomas that have come back or have not responded to other treatment. If CAR T-cell therapy is an option, you may be referred to a specialist centre for treatment.
Side effects
CAR T-cell therapy can cause the immune system to react, causing cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Symptoms of CRS include a high temperature, fast heart rate, low blood pressure, changes to your blood cell count, and breathing difficulties.
CAR T-cell therapy can also affect the nervous system, causing side effects in the brain, such as headaches and confusion. Your doctor will discuss possible side effects with you and how long they may last. Most side effects can usually be managed, but it’s important to let your doctor know if you have them.
Learn more about immunotherapy.
→ READ MORE: Stem cell transplant for lymphoma
Video: What are targeted therapy and immunotherapy?
Watch this short video to learn more about drug therapies, including targeted and immunotherapy (Open Settings 
to turn on auto-generated subtitles in your language).
Podcast: Immunotherapy & Targeted Therapy
More resources
Dr Ian Bilmon, Haematologist, Westmead Hospital and Sydney Adventist Hospital, NSW; Suzanne Basha, Consumer; Jo Cryer, Clinical Nurse Consultant Haematology, St George Hospital, NSW; Jessica Elliott, Senior Social Worker, Youth Cancer Services, Crown Princess Mary Centre Westmead, NSW; Dr Robin Gasiorowski, Haematologist, Concord and Macquarie University Hospitals, NSW; Prof Angela Hong, Radiation Oncologist, Chris O’Brien Lifehouse, Melanoma Institute Australia, GenesisCare, and Clinical Professor, The University of Sydney, NSW; Karen Maddock, CAR T Cell and Cell Therapy Nurse Practitioner, Westmead Hospital, NSW; Jenn Partenfelder, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council NSW; Elise Toyer, Clinical Nurse Consultant Haematology, Blacktown Hospital, NSW.
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