Print OverviewBiological therapy for cancer is a type of treatment that uses the body's immune system to kill cancer cells. Biological therapy for cancer can treat many types of cancer. It can prevent or slow tumor growth and prevent the spread of cancer. When cancer spreads, it's called metastatic cancer. Biological therapy for cancer often causes fewer toxic side effects than do other cancer treatments. How biological therapy worksThe goal of biological therapy for cancer is to get the immune system to see and kill cancer cells. The body's immune system fights invaders, such as germs, throughout the body. Cancer cells are invaders, but the immune system doesn't always see them. Cancer cells can hide from immune system cells. Or cancer cells can keep immune system cells from acting. In general, biological therapies work by: Getting the immune system to attack cancer cells. There are several ways biological therapy treatments can do this. One way is putting chemicals that get the immune system working into the body. Another is training a sample of immune system cells from a person in a lab to attack cancer cells, then putting them back into that person's body. Making cancer cells easier for the immune system to see. Biological therapy also can target the cancer cells, turning on or off cell signals that help them hide from the immune system. For example, drugs called immune checkpoint inhibitors can target certain receptors on the surface of the cancer cells. There they block the signals the cancer cells send to keep the immune system from seeing them. Types of biological therapySeveral types of biological therapy exist, including: Adoptive cell transfer Angiogenesis inhibitors Bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy Biochemotherapy Cancer vaccines Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy Cytokine therapy Gene therapy Immune checkpoint modulators Immunoconjugates Monoclonal antibodies Oncolytic virus therapy Targeted drug therapy Many types of biological therapy are available only in clinical trials. Biological therapy for cancer is a very active area of cancer research.Products & ServicesSign up for Email: Get Your Free Resource – Coping with Cancer Clinical trials Explore Mayo Clinic studies of tests and procedures to help prevent, detect, treat or manage conditions. By Mayo Clinic Staff Biological therapy for cancer care at Mayo Clinic Request an appointment Doctors & Departments May 19, 2023 Print Show references Immunotherapy to treat cancer. National Cancer Institute. https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy. Accessed March 22, 2023. Papiez MA, et al. Biological therapies in the treatment of cancer — Update and new directions. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2021; doi:10.3390/ijms222111694. Niederhuber JE, et al., eds. Therapeutic antibodies and immunologic conjugates. In: Abeloff's Clinical Oncology. 6th ed. Elsevier; 2020. https://www.clinicalkey.com. Accessed March 22, 2023. Huang JL, et al. Targeting DNA damage response and immune checkpoint for anticancer therapy. International Journal of Molecular Sciences. 2022; doi:10.3390/ijms23063238. Related Cancer Carcinoid syndrome Chronic myelogenous leukemia Hairy cell leukemia Kidney cancer Leukemia Melanoma Skin cancer Show more related content News from Mayo Clinic Identifying new potential in cancer-killing T cells Dec. 02, 2023, 12:00 p.m. CDT Mayo Clinic researchers publish key findings about cell proteins to determine effectiveness of immunotherapy for colon cancer Aug. 31, 2023, 02:53 p.m. CDT Products & Services Sign up for Email: Get Your Free Resource – Coping with Cancer Biological therapy for cancerAboutDoctors&DepartmentsCare atMayoClinic Advertisement Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. Advertising & Sponsorship Policy Opportunities Ad Choices Mayo Clinic Press Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic Press. Mayo Clinic on Incontinence - Mayo Clinic PressMayo Clinic on IncontinenceThe Essential Diabetes Book - Mayo Clinic PressThe Essential Diabetes BookMayo Clinic on Hearing and Balance - Mayo Clinic PressMayo Clinic on Hearing and BalanceFREE Mayo Clinic Diet Assessment - Mayo Clinic PressFREE Mayo Clinic Diet AssessmentMayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book - Mayo Clinic PressMayo Clinic Health Letter - FREE book PRC-20337291 Patient Care & Health Information Tests & Procedures Biological therapy for cancer