IMMUNOTHERAPY:
WHAT WE KNOW:
* Immunotherapy is an emerging cancer treatment that relies on parts of a person's immune system to fight the diseased cells
* The therapy works to slow the growth and spread of cancer cells
* The breakthrough discovery by the QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute tested its antibody on breast, melanoma, prostate and lung cancers
EXISTING CANCER THERAPIES:
* Chemotherapy
* Radiation
* Surgery
AUSTRALIAN CANCER STATISTICS:
* Breast cancer - One in eight Australian women will likely be diagnosed by their 85th birthday
* Lung cancer - The fifth most common form of cancer in Australia, with just a 14 per cent chance of survival of five years or more
* Melanoma - Accounted for about 10 per cent of Australian cancer diagnoses in 2015
* Prostate cancer - One in seven Australian men will likely be diagnosed by their 85th birthday
