What is a key difference between chemotherapy and immunotherapy?

The correct choice highlights a fundamental distinction between chemotherapy and immunotherapy. Chemotherapy primarily works by targeting and killing rapidly dividing cells, which is why it's effective in treating many types of cancer, since cancer cells often grow and divide more quickly than normal cells. Chemotherapy can also impact some normal fast-growing cells (like those in hair follicles, bone marrow, and the digestive tract), leading to common side effects.

On the other hand, immunotherapy is designed to enhance and leverage the body’s own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells. It can involve various strategies, such as checkpoint inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, or vaccines, which help the immune system identify cancer cells as targets. This enhancement typically results in a more tailored response that can lead to long-lasting effects and potentially fewer side effects, as the immune response is more specific and does not generally affect all rapidly dividing cells like chemotherapy does.

While the other options present different statements regarding chemotherapy and immunotherapy, they either misrepresent the nature of these treatments or lack the clarity and essential differentiation that the correct response provides. Understanding this contrast is critical for safe and effective cancer treatment management.