Antibody Therapy Primer

Antibody therapy

Monoclonal antibodies are manmade versions of immune system proteins that can be made to attack a very specific target. These molecules can be injected into the body to seek out and attach to cancer cells. Monoclonal antibodies have been developed to attach to the ganglioside GD2, a substance found on the surface of many neuroblastoma cells.
Some of these antibodies are used by themselves to try to stimulate the body's immune system to attack the cancer, while others are first attached to radioactive particles or chemotherapy drugs. By zeroing in on their targets, these antibodies than can deliver chemotherapy or radiation to the neuroblastoma cells with minimal damage to normal cells. Early results of these treatments have shown promise, but they are available only in clinical trials at this time. (American Cancer Society Website)

Theory behind antibody therapy:
A person's immune system makes antibodies to attack germs such as bacteria or viruses, but it will not attack neuroblastoma because the tumor is part of our own bodies. An antibody that attaches to neuroblastoma can be made in a laboratory and then given intravenously to a patient. This antibody will circulate in the bloodstream until it finds and attaches to a neuroblastoma cell. And then the patient's own immune system will attack and kill that neuroblastoma cell.
(MSK Website)