Immunotherapy and Pain
Immunotherapy was initially developed as a method to treat cancer through the use of the host’s immune system. Now, immunotherapy is used as a treatment for a wide variety of diseases. The connection between the nervous system and the immune system in chronic pain and neurological disease has given a new facet to immunotherapy research. This chapter provides an overview of the most common forms of immunotherapy and the emerging potential of immunotherapy in the treatment and management of various neurological diseases, including brain tumors, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, stroke, spinal cord injury, and pain. We will particularly highlight pain-related immunotherapy mechanisms that target the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and stimulator of interferon gene (STING) pathways, as well as cytokine pathways, immune cell ablation, and adoptive cell transfer.
