Dr Jill O’Donnell-Tormey from the Cancer Research Institute speaks to ecancer about the latest in the development of immunological technologies that can treat, control, and prevent cancer.

Looking at checkpoint blockades, which involve blocking the action of immune checkpoints, she explains how the use they can be used on their own or in combination with chemotherapy or radiation.

Dr O'Donnell-Torney also touches on chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy (CAR-T). Specifically developed for each individual patient, it involves reprogramming the patient's own immune system cells to target their cancer. She notes its effectiveness in treating haematological malignancies, specifically B-cell lymphomas, leukaemia, and, more recently, multiple myeloma.

She concludes by discussing the potential obstacles to the advancement of immunotherapy treatments.