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Awareness Loop is a publication by Tutti Cancer Warriors, dedicated to shedding light on all types of cancer. From early signs and risk factors to research updates and warrior stories, we keep you informed and empowered. Because awareness isn’t just knowledge, it’s the first step toward action. Stay in the loop, stay aware.
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June is Cancer Immunotherapy Month — and no, it’s not just about a fancy treatment. It’s about a shift.
For decades, we treated cancer like a war. We bombed it with chemo. Burned it with radiation. Cut it out with surgery.
Then something changed: scientists started asking: “What if we didn’t just fight cancer? What if we trained the immune system to fight it for us?”
That’s immunotherapy. And it's saving lives — slowly, imperfectly, but powerfully.
Immunotherapy is a type of cancer treatment that helps the body’s immune system fight cancer.
Normally, the immune system knows how to find and destroy harmful cells like viruses or bacteria. But cancer is sneaky — it hides, pretends to be normal, or shuts down immune responses altogether.
Immunotherapy says: nah!
It teaches the immune system to wake up, recognize cancer cells, and destroy them.
Talking about breaking things down...Join us on July 28 as we break hepatitis down. World Hepatitis Day is a reminder that cancer prevention starts earlier than we think.
http://tutticancerwarriors.orgWorld Hepatitis Day
2025 World Hepatitis Day Toolkit World Hepatitis Day - 28 July, 2025 Theme: Let's Break It Down Support Our Mission Why Hepatitis Awareness Matters Over 350 million people are living with hepatitis B or C, and most don't even know it. Without diagnosis and care, hepatitis can silently cause liver damage, cirrhosis, and even liver...
What’s being used in real cancer clinics and trials right now?
These remove the “brakes” cancer uses to stop immune cells.
Approved for: Melanoma, lung, bladder, kidney, head & neck, some colon cancers.
2. CAR T-Cell Therapy
Doctors take immune cells (T-cells) out of a patient’s blood, reprogram them in a lab to attack cancer, then infuse them back.
Approved for: leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma.
Lab-made proteins that stick to specific cancer cell targets and flag them for destruction.
Used in breast cancer (HER2+), lymphoma, colorectal, etc.
4. Cancer Vaccines & Cytokines
Stimulate or boost the immune response overall. Some are therapeutic (for existing cancer), others preventive (like HPV vaccines).
Examples: Provenge (for prostate), HPV vaccine (prevents cervical and others).
No. Not yet. But here’s what it has done:
Turned terminal melanoma into a treatable disease in some cases
Given lung cancer patients years instead of months
Allowed children with leukemia to enter remission after every other treatment failed
Sparked new hope for cancers with historically low survival rates
Still, it’s not a miracle. Some people don’t respond. Some relapse. Some experience immune side effects like:
Severe inflammation (lungs, liver, colon)
Fatigue
Skin problems
Hormone disruption
But for many, it’s worth the risk — because it gives a chance.
How did we get here?
The Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine (2018) went to James Allison and Tasuku Honjo for discovering how checkpoint inhibitors could help fight cancer.
Over 6,000 immunotherapy trials are currently ongoing worldwide.
Research from the Cancer Research Institute, National Cancer Institute, and FDA shows consistent expansion into:
Breast cancer (triple-negative)
Glioblastoma
Pancreatic cancer
Rare tumors
Global research is turning what was once experimental into routine care.
Immunotherapy can cost anywhere from $10,000–$500,000+, depending on type and region. And it’s often:
Unavailable in rural areas
Not covered by public healthcare
Inaccessible to people of color and marginalized communities
Innovation means nothing without equity. We fight for access, not just advances.
Scientists are working on:
Biomarkers to predict who will respond to immunotherapy
Combination therapies: immunotherapy + radiation + targeted drugs
Personalized vaccines made from a patient’s own tumor
AI tools to match patients with the right treatments faster
It’s not science fiction anymore, it’s science unfolding in real time.
Learn: Most people still don’t know what immunotherapy is
Share: Every voice helps normalize asking about it
Support: Research, access programs, and nonprofits bridging the gap
Celebrate: The warriors and researchers pushing this movement forward
Thanks to your support, Susan has been creating and sharing free art journal bundles with cancer warriors.
“Thank you all again SOOOO much! I can't wait to buy more supplies, hand out more art journal bundles, and share pics of all the good we’re doing together.”
Art as healing — made possible by your support. Thank youuuuuuuuuu all!!!!
Ready for a little brain boost?
This week’s puzzle is based on our Men’s Health Week edition — so if you haven’t read it yet, you might want to catch up first. The answers are hidden in plain sight 😉
👉 Read the Men’s Health Week edition here
🧩 New puzzle, same mission: awareness through fun.
Thank you, Daniel, for bringing a little brain workout to our hearts-and-mission-filled newsletter.
Solve it with your friends/ family, share it on socials and tag us.
Some of us have lived it. Some have lost someone to it. Some are still holding on and hoping for the next breakthrough.
Immunotherapy isn’t perfect — but it’s progress.And in a world where cancer steals time, every extra moment matters.
This June, let’s honor:
the patients who risked the unknown
the researchers chasing answers
the families who never gave up
We see you. We thank you. We fight with you.
With hope,
Tutti Cancer Warriors
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for awareness purposes only and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a healthcare professional for medical concerns.
Tutti Cancer Warriors
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