HealthJuly 8, 2026

immunotherapy

/ˌɪmjənoʊˈθɛrəpi/

Definition

A medical treatment that stimulates or enhances the body's own immune system to help fight diseases such as cancer or chronic infections.

Etymology

The word combines the Latin 'immunis' (exempt or free from) and the Greek 'therapeia' (healing). It emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries to describe treatments that rely on the patient's immune response rather than external chemical agents.

In the news

Although mentioned as a keyword in the article's navigation menu, the term represents the advanced, complex types of medical care that the Botswana-UPenn Partnership is working to facilitate as they expand their focus beyond basic infectious disease management.

A model global health academic partnership flourishes in Botswana

Read the full article ↗

Penn Medicine

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