Immunotherapy

What is Immunotherapy?

Immunotherapy is a cancer treatment that uses our own bodies immune system to help recognise and kill cancer cells. Our immune systems have developed to identify cells that are faulty, and to destroy these cells as part of a natural process of repair. If cancer cells develop the ability to hide from our immune system, or our immune system is too weak to kill abnormal cells properly, this natural process fails.

Immunotherapy helps the natural cell-killing function of the immune system. It only works for some people, and for some cancers, because it relies on a working immune system and a cancer cell that can be identified.

Further information on immunotherapy, including on the different types of treatment available, can be found in the Cancer Research UK guide, “What is immunotherapy?”.

Can I breast feed if I am having immunotherapy?

There are many variables needed to be able to answer this question on an individual basis, but in short and in the most general sense, the answer is no.

Immunotherapy treatments are designed to help our bodies identify cells that do not belong to our body. These drugs can pass through into your milk supply and may attack your babies healthy cells, leading to cell death. In simple terms, chemotherapy drugs are highly toxic for your baby. We strongly recommend you discuss your concerns and expectations with your doctor, as they will be able to advise you on your options based on your individual treatment plan.

So, what are my feeding options?

It is most likely that if you need immunotherapy your options for feeding your baby are limited. If the treatment is delayed, you have an option to stock up your own milk prior to starting treatment. Once immunotherapy treatment has started, the stored breastmilk can be used. Other feeding options are donor breast milk and formula milk. You can feed your baby any combination of your own expressed milk, donor breastmilk or formula milk. Starting with one option and changing to another is also completely okay for your baby.

Depending on the variables, there is an outside chance your immunotherapy treatment might be of short enough duration that it might be an option to pump & dump. By this we mean you could express your breastmilk (pump) to maintain your milk supply and then discard this milk (dump) whilst on immuno treatment, and during the wash out period until your milk is drug-free. After this you can start breastfeeding again. Please speak to your oncologist about this option, but be aware that it is most likely they will say this is not an option, as the risks for your baby are too high and the demand on your body too great.