The role of immune therapy in breast cancer - Essay Example

s of breast cancers that can affect women, with some forms being rare, and also some where two or three forms of cancers occur within the same form (Types of Breast Cancer 2014). The different forms of breast cancers include: Ductal carcinoma in situ, Lobular carcinoma in situ, invasive ductal carcinoma, invasive lobular carcinoma which are more common. The less common types include inflammatory breast cancer, triple negative breast cancer, paget disease of the nipple, phyllodes tumor, and angiosarcoma (Types of Breast Cancer 2014).

The above figure reflects on the statistics of cases of breast cancer in the UK, as recorded for the year 2011. It can be observed that the number of cases is significant and hence immunotherapy seems to be highly essential, particularly for women are the most affected ones. Although the concept of immunotherapy has developed as a revolution over the recent times; however its roots can be found dated back to 1778 when the first vaccine was administered against smallpox by Edward Jenner who was an English physician (Cancer and the Immune System: The Vital Connection n.d.).

The immune system involves collection of cells that protect the body from microbes and bacteria and hence tries to protect the body from diseases. Innate immunity and adaptive immunity are the two divisions in which the defense of the body against microbes works (Mooi 2010; The innate and adaptive immune systems n.d.). The innate immune system is such where cells and proteins are ready to fight the microbes always and hence protect the body at the site where the infection takes place. The major constituents of this system include physical epithelial barriers, phagocytic leucocytes, dendritic cells, natural killer cell which is a special type of lymphocyte, and circulating plasma proteins (Mooi 2010; The innate and adaptive immune systems n.d.).

The adaptive system is different from the innate immune system in the sense that it is initiated to overcome or avoid the