Chemotherapy Biotherapy Certification ONS Practice Testq

Which of the following is NOT a use of biotherapy in cancer treatment?

1. Enhance the body's ability to repair damaged cells

2. Stop cancer growth processes

3. Provide direct chemotherapy

4. Make cancer cells more recognizable to immune cells

The correct answer is: Provide direct chemotherapy

Biotherapy, also known as immunotherapy, harnesses the body's immune system to fight cancer and is used for various purposes in treatment. One important aspect of biotherapy is its ability to enhance the immune response, making cancer cells more recognizable to immune cells and thereby promoting a more effective attack against tumors. This aligns with the goal of improving the body’s natural defenses against cancer. The options presented in the question involve different mechanisms of action typical of biotherapy. For instance, enhancing the body's capacity to repair damaged cells is a supportive function of some biotherapeutic agents, allowing for recovery of normal tissue affected by cancer or its treatments. Additionally, stopping cancer growth processes is a fundamental target of biotherapy, as many such therapies are designed to inhibit tumor proliferation. While these options reflect legitimate uses of biotherapy, the administration of direct chemotherapy does not fall within the realm of biotherapy. Chemotherapy primarily relies on chemical agents to kill cancer cells or stop their division, rather than on biologically derived processes that involve the immune system. Therefore, the identification of direct chemotherapy as a use of biotherapy is incorrect, as the latter encompasses therapies that modulate the immune response rather than applying chemical agents.