Irving, TX, June 17, 2016 – A number of major advancements have been made on the cancer front in recent years, but immunotherapy may be among the biggest. This unique form of therapy, in fact, was recently named the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s advance of the year for 2016.

“The reasons behind the honor are quite sound,” says Dr. Gregory Echt, founder and lead surgeon at Choice Cancer Care. “This form of therapy is designed to activate the human body’s own defenses in the battle against cancer. In doing so, it may someday lower the reliance on other, more invasive, treatment.”

Immunotherapy is designed to essentially kick the human body’s immune system into action to fight cancer head-on. The idea is to promote the body’s ability to kill cancer cells much like it does less troublesome bacterial and viral invaders. While the therapy may not be able to destroy all cancer cells without additional treatment, it is also showing great promise in slowing overall cancer growth rates.

“While much work needs to be done to explore the full range of possibilities immunotherapy presents, this form of treatment is already helping out in some forms of cancer,” says Dr. Echt. “Drugs are available currently to help those with advanced melanoma and they are showing tremendous potential. Trials are also underway to extend this form of therapy to such forms of cancer as kidney, lung, bladder and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, among others.”

How soon immunotherapy’s potential will be fully realized remains unknown. What is known is that this form of therapy has opened the door on way to get the body to successfully fight cancer itself.

People who are diagnosed with cancer are urged to discuss all treatment options with their healthcare providers. Immunotherapy isn’t widely available just yet, but many other treatment options do exist for a wide variety of cancers.

About Choice Cancer Care
Choice Cancer Care is an independent, physician-owned cancer center network. Dr. Gregory Echt, a radiation oncologist with over two decades of experience, is the founder of Choice Cancer Care. Choice Cancer Care is among the busiest practices in the country for brachytherapy, or prostate seed implant therapy – a cancer treatment plan for prostate cancer that provides remarkable success rates and fewer life-limiting side effects.