Immunotherapy uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer.
Learn more about:
Types of immunotherapy
Checkpoint immunotherapy and CAR T-cell therapy are the 2 main types of immunotherapy used for non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Your haematologist will discuss which is best for you.
The drugs used for non-Hodgkin lymphoma are rapidly changing and other immunotherapy drugs may be available through clinical trials. Ask your doctor about the latest developments.
Checkpoint immunotherapy
Pembrolizumab is a type of immunotherapy drug known as a checkpoint inhibitor. It is available on the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) for some types of non-Hodgkin lymphoma that have come back or not responded to treatment. It is given as an IV infusion every 3 weeks.
| 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
A new type of immunotherapy used to treat some types of lymphoma is chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy. This boosts the ability of T-cells to fight cancer.
To make CAR T-cells, your own T-cells are removed from the blood and altered so they can better recognise cancer cells. A few weeks later, the altered T-cells are returned to the blood through an intravenous drip (infusion). You will be in hospital for several weeks, and recovery will take time. CAR T-cell therapy is available only in some hospitals in Australia for some types of B-cell lymphomas that have come back or not responded to treatment. If CAR T-cell therapy is an option for you, you may be referred to a specialist centre for treatment.
| Side effects | CAR T-cell therapy can make the immune system react, causing cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Symptoms of CRS include a high temperature, fast heart rate and 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. Side effects can usually be managed, but it’s important to let your doctor know about them. |
For more on this, see our general section on Immunotherapy.
→ READ MORE: Radiation therapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma
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More resources
Dr Puja Bhattacharyya, Haematology Staff Specialist, Western Sydney Local Health District, Blacktown Hospital; A/Prof Christina Brown, Haematologist, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital and The University of Sydney; Dr Susan Carroll, Senior Staff Specialist, Radiation Oncology, Royal North Shore Hospital and The University of Sydney; Jo Cryer, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Haematology, St George Hospital; Marie Marr, Consumer; Katelin Mayer, Clinical Nurse Consultant, Cancer Outreach Team, Nelune Comprehensive Cancer Centre, Sydney; Vanessa Saunders, 13 11 20 Consultant, Cancer Council NSW; Elise Toyer, Haematology Clinical Nurse Consultant, Blacktown Hospital.
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