immunotherapy

(im″yŭ-nō-ther′ă-pē )

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(i-mū″nō-ther′ă-pē)
[ immuno- + therapy ]
The use of natural and synthetic substances to stimulate or suppress the immune response (as in patients with asthma, seasonal allergies, autoimmune illnesses, some cancers, or hypersensitivity to insect stings or anaphylaxis). Therapeutic agents are either antigen-specific or non-antigen-specific. Immunological therapies include cytokines (such as alpha interferon and interleukin-2), monoclonal antibodies, intravenous immune globulin, heat shock proteins, and cancer vaccines.
SYN: SEE: immunological therapy

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