Biological therapy

Biological therapy is a form of treatment that uses the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. This type of cancer treatment works directly or indirectly to enhance, stimulate or repair the immune system’s response to cancer. Some of these treatments can also reduce some of the side effects of cancer treatment. Biological treatment uses drugs also known as Biological Response Modifiers.

The following are some examples:

• Interferons: Drugs that mimic the cytokines that the body’s immune system makes in response to cancer or viral infections. They are used for the treatment of melanoma and kidney cancer.
  
  
• Interleukins: Drugs used in the treatment of kidney cancer which also mimic cytokines. They enhance the power of T-lymphocytes in fighting certain cancers.
  
  
• Colony Stimulating Factors: Also called hemopoetic growth factors, these drugs can facilitate the regeneration of red and white blood cells after the administration of chemotherapy.

• Monoclonal Antibodies: Antibodies are proteins made by the body’s immune system in fighting infections and cancer. Monoclonal antibodies are artificial antibodies of one specific clone or family that can attack cancerous cells. They can also be directed against Epidermal Growth Factors found on certain cancers like head and neck and colon cancer. Another use of these antibodies is against Vascular Endothelial Growth Factors (VGEF) as described below. All these monoclonal antibodies are very specific against certain cells and are good examples of Targeted Therapy. Monoclonal antibody against Her-2 positive breast cancer is another good example of targeted treatment.
  
  
• Radio Immunotherapy: Attaching a radioactive substance toxic to cells to a monoclonal antibody which targets specific cancer cells can greatly enhance the specificity and the effectiveness of the treatment. This is used against leukemia and lymphomas.
  
  
• Anti-angiogenesis Therapy: All rapidly growing cancer cells need a good supply of nutrition and hence a good blood supply. These cells promote the growth of new blood vessels to supply their own needs. Anti-angiogenic therapy uses monoclonal antibodies to disrupt this blood supply to cancer cells. Some antiangiogenic drugs like Thalidomide are not monoclonal antibodies and work by different mechanisms.
  
  
• Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors: Inhibition of the enzyme tyrosine kinase which can cause abnormal cell growth in some cancers is a very powerful way of fighting certain cancers including some forms of leukemia.
  
  
• Proteosome Inhibitors: Proteosomes are scavenger molecules inside cells that remove cellular “garbage” and are need for the cell’s health. Proteosome inhibitors can block these molecules and result in the death of cancer cells. These are used in the treatment of myeloma and lypmphomas.
  

Many of the biological treatments described above are used in conjunction with conventional chemotherapy.

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