Biologic and Biosimilar Therapy
Biologic therapy is used to treat many diseases, including cancer. There are different types of biologic therapies to treat different types of cancer. Your exact treatment plan will be determined based on your type and stage of cancer.
About Biologic and Biosimilar Therapy
Biologic drugs are made from living cells and are used to kill cancer cells or stop them from growing. Some biologic therapies (for example, antibodies and vaccines) make your immune system stronger so it can kill cancer cells. Biosimilar drugs (biosimilars) are highly similar copies of existing biologic drugs. There are no clinically meaningful differences between the two.
Several treatment goals can be accomplished with biologic therapy: destroy cancer cells, stop them from growing and spreading, and/or lessen the side effects you may experience from other cancer treatments.
Community Services Locator
Use the community services locator available at the Canadian Cancer Society website to find cancer-related services in a specific area.
Guidelines & Advice
Access guidelines and advice to view standards of care for different types of biological therapy.
Drug Funding
Find out how some cancer drugs are paid for through public funding programs, hospitals or private insurance.
Biosimilars
Find resources about biosimilars, which are highly similar copies of existing biologic drugs.
Antibodies
Biologic therapies (drugs) include antibodies that can either target the cancer cells or help the immune system fight cancer. Cancer cells can be targeted because they have specific features (like a protein) that allow them to grow and spread, or the feature is unique to that cancer. Because the antibodies that target cancer cells do not affect as many normal cells in the body, they often have different side effects from traditional chemotherapy.
Antibodies can also fight cancer by triggering the immune system to attack cancer cells. This type of treatment also causes different side effects than traditional chemotherapy, and can vary depending on which type of antibody is used.
Managing Symptoms & Side Effects
General side effects from biologic therapy can happen to any area of the body. Side effects depend on a number of things, including how or where the medication is given, the specific biologic therapy used, and the size of the area being treated. The most common side effects include:
- flu-like symptoms
- severe allergic reactions
- lowered blood counts
- immune-related adverse effects
We offer ways for you to document, track, recognize and reduce your symptoms and side effects. Even with all these resources available, we want to remind you that it’s still important to discuss your symptoms with your healthcare team.
Symptom Assessment Tools
Learn about Your Symptoms Matter, a set of tools to help healthcare providers monitor and manage their patients’ symptoms more effectively.
Symptom & Side Effect Management Guides
Find symptom and side effect tools that help to improve the quality of patient care, including guides on how to manage and relieve symptoms and side effects.