What is one method of biotherapy in cancer treatment?

Biotherapy, also known as biological therapy or immunotherapy, involves the use of substances that stimulate or alter the immune system’s response to cancer. The modification of tumor cell biology is fundamental to biotherapy, as it focuses on harnessing the body’s biological mechanisms to either inhibit tumor growth directly or enhance the immune system’s ability to recognize and attack cancer cells.

This approach can include various strategies, such as monoclonal antibodies, cytokine therapy, or cancer vaccines. By targeting specific characteristics of cancer cells, biotherapy aims to improve the patient's immune response and create a more effective treatment strategy with potentially fewer side effects than traditional methods like chemotherapy or radiation.

In contrast, the other options, while important components of cancer treatment, do not fall under the category of biotherapy. Radiation therapy's primary function is to kill or damage cancer cells directly using high-energy waves. Dedicated chemotherapy regimens use cytotoxic drugs to kill fast-growing cancer cells but do not modify biological processes. Lastly, surgery focuses on the physical removal of tumors, which is a localized treatment rather than a systemic biological intervention like biotherapy.