| Criteria | Immunotherapy | Precision Medicine | Remarks |
| Definition | A therapeutic approach that harnesses or modifies the immune system to fight diseases, particularly cancer and infections. | A medical model that tailors treatment to individual genetic, molecular, and clinical profiles for maximum efficacy. | Immunotherapy is one type of precision-based approach, but not all precision medicine involves the immune system. |
| Mechanism of Action | Stimulates, suppresses, or modifies immune responses (e.g., checkpoint inhibitors, CAR-T cells, cytokines). | Utilizes molecular diagnostics, genetic sequencing, and biomarkers to select or design optimal therapies. | Precision medicine relies on patient-specific profiling; immunotherapy specifically targets immune modulation. |
| Target | Immune system cells (e.g., T cells, B cells, NK cells) or immune pathways. | Genetic mutations, biomarkers, metabolic profiles, or protein expression patterns. | Both aim to improve specificity of treatment, but targets differ. |
| Applications | Cancer therapy, autoimmune diseases, allergies, infectious diseases. | Oncology, cardiology, neurology, rare genetic disorders, pharmacogenomics. | Precision medicine has broader applications beyond immunology. |
| Treatment Personalization | Partially personalized (e.g., PD-L1 status in checkpoint therapy). | Highly personalized based on genomic, transcriptomic, or proteomic data. | Precision medicine is a broader umbrella; immunotherapy is more focused. |
| Advantages | Harnesses natural immune defense, potential for durable responses, long-term memory effects. | Optimizes drug selection, minimizes side effects, improves outcomes with targeted interventions. | Both approaches enhance specificity, reducing “trial-and-error” medicine. |
| Challenges | Immune-related adverse effects, resistance mechanisms, variable patient response. | High cost, need for advanced diagnostics, ethical and privacy concerns. | Both face accessibility and cost barriers in clinical translation. |
