Chemotherapy Biotherapy Certification ONS Practice Test 2026 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide

Biotherapy, also known as biological therapy or immunotherapy, involves the use of substances that enhance the body’s own immune response against cancer cells. This treatment can modify the tumor microenvironment, making it more susceptible to the effects of chemotherapy. By boosting the immune system, biotherapy can improve the overall effectiveness of chemotherapy, potentially leading to better treatment outcomes and increased survival rates for patients.

Biotherapy includes agents such as monoclonal antibodies, cytokines, and vaccines, which can specifically target cancer cells, thereby enhancing the action of chemotherapy drugs. For example, some biotherapies may allow for lower doses of chemotherapy to be used while still achieving the same level of efficacy or may aid in overcoming resistance that the cancer could develop against certain chemotherapy agents.

The other types of treatment, while potentially useful in a comprehensive cancer treatment plan, do not specifically serve to enhance the effects of chemotherapy in the same direct manner biotherapy does. Radiation therapy can target tumors and kill cancer cells, but it does not fundamentally alter the response of cancer cells to chemotherapy. Hormonal therapy is more focused on cancers that are hormone receptor-positive and works through different mechanisms. Surgical intervention is often used to remove tumors, but it typically occurs before or after chemotherapy rather than concurrently to enhance