Treatment options comparison: Immunotherapy versus Chemotherapy - An examination of shared traits and distinct characteristics
Chemotherapy and immunotherapy are two common approaches used to treat various types of cancer. Chemotherapy involves the use of drugs that directly target and kill rapidly dividing cancer cells, usually administered intravenously or orally in cycles. On the other hand, immunotherapy aims to boost or restore the immune system's natural ability to fight cancer, often given via infusion at regular intervals.
In terms of administration, chemotherapy is typically given in cycles lasting weeks, often as intravenous infusions or pills, while immunotherapy is usually administered as periodic intravenous infusions over several months or longer, depending on the specific drugs and cancer type.
Regarding side effects, chemotherapy often causes more immediate and severe side effects such as nausea, hair loss, fatigue, and increased infection risk because it affects all rapidly dividing cells. Immunotherapy side effects stem from immune activation and may include fatigue, skin rash, joint pain, mouth sores, and gastrointestinal symptoms like diarrhea, but tend to be less immediately toxic than chemotherapy. More severe immune-related adverse events can occur but are less common.
In terms of cost, immunotherapy is substantially more expensive than chemotherapy. For example, checkpoint inhibitors like Opdivo and Yervoy can exceed $292,000 per year, while chemotherapy costs are generally much lower — e.g., some chemoimmunotherapy regimens total around $20,000 to $50,000, with immunotherapy adding costs but sometimes remaining cost-effective depending on the incremental benefits measured by quality-adjusted life years (QALYs).
Regarding effectiveness, combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy (chemoimmunotherapy) has been shown to improve overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) in various cancers compared to chemotherapy alone. For instance, in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, chemoimmunotherapy combined with radiotherapy improved median OS from 20 to 33 months and median PFS from 12 to 15 months. However, in some cancers and populations, the benefit between chemotherapy alone and chemoimmunotherapy may not be statistically significant.
| Aspect | Chemotherapy | Immunotherapy | |----------------|----------------------------------|------------------------------------------| | Administration | Intravenous or oral; cyclical | Intravenous infusions; periodic, longer duration | | Side Effects | Nausea, hair loss, fatigue, infection risk | Fatigue, rash, joint pain, immune-related effects | | Cost | Generally lower (e.g., $20k–50k+) | Much higher (e.g., $150k–$290k+ per year) | | Effectiveness | Directly kills cancer cells; effective especially when combined with other therapies | Boosts immune response; improves survival in combination with chemo |
This summary balances the available evidence on administration, side effects, costs, and effectiveness from recent clinical studies and cost analyses. For those without insurance, various resources such as Healthcare.gov, the Department of Veterans Affairs, Medicaid, Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition, CancerCare, HealthWell Foundation, Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and Triage Cancer can provide financial help to cover the cost of cancer treatments.
- The immune system's natural ability to fight cancer can be boosted or restored with a medical approach called immunotherapy.
- In comparison to immunotherapy, chemotherapy directly targets and kills rapidly dividing cancer cells using drugs, usually administered in cycles either intravenously or orally.3.The expensive nature of immunotherapy is substantial compared to chemotherapy; for instance, checkpoint inhibitors like Opdivo and Yervoy can cost over $292,000 per year.
- Combining chemotherapy with immunotherapy (chemoimmunotherapy) has demonstrated improved overall and progression-free survival in several cancers, such as esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.
