Immunotherapy Side Effects: When to Call Your Doctor

Immunotherapy side effects occur when the immune system attacks normal cells. So how these drugs work is they rev up your immune system to hopefully recognize cancer as abnormal and take it away. What can happen when side effects occur is when the immune system recognize normal cells as abnormal and try to take it away.

The side effects can be when the immune system attacks the lungs. That can cause shortness of breath or cough. It can attack your gut and cause diarrhea. One of the more common side effects are rash, which is usually itchy, red. And that's when the immune system attacks the skin.

Specific side effects to look out for and call your doctor, if you're having multiple loose stools a day, if you are having new shortness of breath or cough, having trouble walking around due to shortness of breath or cough. If you're having excessive fatigue that should be an immediate call to your doctor.

Immune therapy side effects do not go away on its own. The immune system has memory and can be ongoing. So thinking that, if I just wait longer, the side effects will dissipate on its own because I'll be further away from my treatment, is not true. Often, intervention is needed to help dissipate side effects because time alone typically will not make it better.