Immunotherapy helps your own immune system recognise cancer cells and fight them. Chemotherapy works differently. It attacks fast-growing cells, which can include cancer cells and some healthy cells too.
In many Indian hospitals today, doctors use immunotherapy for selected cancer patients. Sometimes they use it with chemotherapy. Sometimes they use it as another option when the cancer type and test results support it.
For a patient, the decision depends on a few important things. These include the type of cancer, the stage of cancer and special tumour tests called biomarker tests. Most people feel scared when they hear the word chemotherapy. So when the doctor talks about immunotherapy, it can bring hope, but also many questions.
The good thing is that immunotherapy has changed cancer care for some cancers in the last ten years. At the best cancer hospital in Delhi, specialists do not use it to replace chemotherapy for everyone. They use it carefully, where it can give better results .
What Is Immunotherapy and How Does It Actually Work?
Cancer cells are good at hiding. They produce proteins that signal immune cells to back off asking the body’s defence system that there’s nothing wrong here. Immunotherapy drugs break that signal. They remove the disguise, so immune cells can finally do their job.
Which type is used depends on the cancer’s biology, not just its location. That’s why a biomarker test, not just a biopsyThe types most commonly used in cancer treatment today are:
- Checkpoint inhibitors: Drugs like pembrolizumab that block the PD-1 protein, freeing immune cells to attack.
- Monoclonal antibodies: Lab-made proteins that latch onto cancer cells and flag them for destruction.
- CAR-T cell therapy: Where the patient’s own T-cells are modified and re-infused to target specific tumour antigens.
- Cancer vaccines: Designed to prime the immune system against specific tumour markers.
Which Cancers Are Now Being Treated With Immunotherapy in India?
Immunotherapy doesn’t work equally across all cancer types. The best responses are seen in cancers where tumour cells have accumulated many genetic changes.Here’s where the clinical evidence is clearest right now:
- Lung cancer (non-small cell) : checkpoint inhibitors are now first-line treatment in many cases
- Bladder cancer : approved for advanced urothelial carcinoma where chemo hasn’t worked
- Head and neck cancers : especially those associated with HPV
- Melanoma : one of the earliest successes, with durable remissions that have lasted years
- Certain colorectal cancers : specifically MSI-H tumours with high microsatellite instability
- Triple-negative breast cancer : in combination protocols with chemotherapy
This is why the best cancer specialist in Delhi will ask for PDL-1 expression, MSI status, and HER2 markers before recommending treatment. The biology of the tumour decides what works and not just which organ it’s in.
How Does Immunotherapy Differ From Chemotherapy Practically?
The difference between immunotherapy and chemo is that many people tolerate immunotherapy better day-to-day than chemotherapy. But that’s not guaranteed.
Thus, the difference is not the mechanism but the experience.
With Chemotherapy:
- Targets all fast-dividing cells, cancerous and healthy
- Side effects include hair loss, nausea, fatigue, and increased infection risk
- Given in cycles, often every 2–3 weeks
- Works broadly across many cancer types
With Immunotherapy:
- Targets cancer cells specifically, using the immune system
- Side effects are immune-related like rashes, thyroid changes, joint inflammation
- Sessions are less frequent, every 2 to 6 weeks depending on the drug
- Works best when the tumour’s biomarker profile is a match
One thing patients don’t always expect: immunotherapy side effects aren’t automatically milder. Immune related reactions can affect the lungs, liver or skin and they need fast attention.
This is also not an either or decision for most cases. Combination treatment by the best cancer hospital in Delhi of chemo plus immunotherapy is now standard for several cancer types.
How Do You Decide If Immunotherapy Is Right For Your Case?
Choosing a treatment is less about picking a method and more about understanding the diagnosis clearly. The right decision comes from the right information. So, before deciding, ask these questions to the best cancer specialist in Delhi:
- Has a biomarker or molecular profile test been done?
- Is immunotherapy used as a standalone or in combination with chemo?
- What are the expected side effects?
- What happens if the first line of treatment doesn’t work?
A cancer specialist hospital in India who takes time to answer these clearly in simple language is already a sign you’re in the right place.
Final Words
Immunotherapy isn’t a universal answer. It’s a better answer for the right patient, with the right tumour biology. The shift happening in India’s cancer hospital in Delhi NCR and beyond is real, but it needs to be guided by proper testing and proper expertise.
PSRI Hospital’s oncology team offers consultations backed by advanced diagnostics and a structured tumour board process. A NABH, NABL and JCI accredited hospital with over 30 years of clinical experience, immunotherapy is part of a structured oncology program. Every complex cancer case goes through a multidisciplinary tumour board review. That means your treatment isn’t decided by one specialist in isolation. Call: +91 84 84 84 84 17.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is immunotherapy available for all cancer types?
No, immunotherapy works best for cancers with specific markers like high PDL-1 expression or MSI-H status. Lung, melanoma, some colorectal cancers or bladder ones show the strongest response.
2. Can immunotherapy and chemotherapy be used together?
Yes, both immunotherapy and chemo are used often as a mix for several cancer types. The right combination depends on the patient’s tumour’s molecular profile and how the body responds.
3. How long does immunotherapy treatment last?
The immunotherapy treatment lasts one to two years, with sessions every two to six weeks thus, less frequent than chemotherapy cycles.
4. What side effects does immunotherapy cause?
Immune related side effects like skin rashes, joint pain, thyroid changes, or lung and liver inflammation can occur.