Download BIOLOGICAL THERAPIES

What is biological therapies
• Biological therapy is the therapeutic use of
agents derived from biological sources and
affecting biologic response.
• Also called “immunotherapy” and
“biotherapy”.
• It modifies the body’s immune response
resulting in therapeutic effects.
Types of biological therapy
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Monoclonal antibodies (MAB’s)
Cancer vaccines
Growth factors for blood cells
Cancer growth blockers
Anti angiogenics( drugs that block cancer
blood vessel growth)
• Cytokine therapy
• Gene therapy
The immune system
• It is complex system of cells and production of
antibodies.
• Can remember previous encounters with
immunogens and mount responses on new
challenges.
• Differentiate between “self” and “foregion”.
• In many cancers, may not recognize the cancer as
“foregion” and the immune system does not act
against it.
• some biological therapies stimulate the immune
system to attack cancer.
Cont’d
• The immune system itself is made up several varieties of
leukocytes, commonly known as white blood cells,
that work together to fight off foreign bodies, such as
bacteria, viruses, and cancer.
• Lymphocyte, dendritic, and monocyte cells are three types of
leukocytes that are produced in the bone marrow.
• These cells are present in the blood circulating throughout the
body and are utilized in biological therapy.
How biological therapy works
• Biological therapy works by stimulating, boosting, restoring or
acting like the body’s immune system response against cancer
cells.
• Biological therapy is based on the theory that the immune
system helps destroy cancer cells.
• As part of biological therapy, biological response modifiers
(BRMs) work by using the immune system to inhibit the way
in which cancer cells mature and reproduce.
• The restriction of cancer cells is established through the
utilization of antibodies and proteins which aid the immune
system in its ability to seek out and destroy abnormal cells.
Cancer growth blockers
Biological chemicals, like vascular endothelial growth
factor (VEGF) produced by the body to control blood vessel
growth and cell development, are used in conjunction with
one another as a cancer growth blocker.
Two main types of cancer growth blockers are Proteasome
and Tyrosine Kinase (TKI) inhibitors. Proteasome
inhibitors break down unnecessary proteins while TKIs
block signals produced by the cancerous cells.
Anti-angiogenesis treatment
anti-angiogenesis treatment, block the signals
produced by the cancerous cells and works in the
same manner as TKIs to prevent blood vessel growth.
Monoclonal antibodies
Monoclonal antibodies are sometimes employed as
vehicles to deliver radiation or cancer drugs to
cancerous cells as part of a biological therapy regimen.
Cytokine therapy
• Cytokine therapy is used to attack cancerous cells
and prevent the formation of new tumors by helping
the immune system to be able to identify and
destroy cancerous cells
• Interferon can improve the way the immune system
acts against cancer cells. It also acts directly on
cancer cells to slow their growth.
• Interleuken-2 stimulates the growth and activity of
certain immune cells that recognize and destroy
cancer cells.
Growth factors for blood cells
• Colony stimulating factors ( CSFs) and
cytokine therapy use proteins to encourage
cell renewal and growth.
• They stimulate the bone marrow to produce
more red blood cells, white blood cells and
platelets.
Cancer vaccines
• Vaccines may encourage the person’s immune
system to identify cancer cells and stimulate T cells
to attack them.
• For example, bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine
is used to treat bladder cancer.
Gene therapy
• This therapy introduces genetic material into a
person’s cells to repair a mutation.
• Researchers are looking at ways of using gene
therapy to change a person with cancer’s genetic
material to fight or prevent disease
Side effects of biological therapy
• Side effects include flu-like symptoms such as
chills, fever, muscle aches, weakness, loss of
appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Some patients develop a rash, and some bleed
or bruise easily.
• In addition, interleukin therapy can cause
swelling.