What treatment option uses proteins made in a laboratory for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma?

Monoclonal antibodies are a treatment option that utilizes proteins produced in a laboratory designed to target specific antigens present on the surface of cancer cells, such as those found in Non-Hodgkin lymphoma. These laboratory-made proteins can bind to cancer cells, marking them for destruction by the immune system or inhibiting their growth.

This targeted approach allows for potentially fewer side effects compared to traditional methods like chemotherapy, which affects both cancerous and healthy cells indiscriminately. Immunotherapy, while also relevant in treating lymphoma, encompasses a broader range of treatments that may include monoclonal antibodies, but does not specifically refer to the laboratory-created proteins themselves. Thus, the specificity of monoclonal antibodies in targeting certain proteins on cancer cells makes them a key therapeutic option in the treatment of Non-Hodgkin lymphoma.