Page 108 - Bio Engineering Approaches to Cancer Diagnosis and Treatment

106 CHAPTER 4 Immunotherapy

4.7.1.3 Interferons
In general, interferons (IFNs) are a chemical group of cytokines produced by host
cells in response to the presence of pathogens, such as viruses, bacteria, parasites
and tumor cells. They have a role to resist disease and infections. These group of
proteins have an important effect on target cells by activating immune responses
[108]. IFNs not only restraining the development of cancer but also it cause visible
the tumor cells which escape from immune control. In addition, recent researches
have demonstrated the antitumor effect of IFNs during the initiation or progression
of several cancer types.
The types of IFN are named after the first three letters of the Greek alphabet:
• IFN-Alfa
• IFN-Beta
• IFN-Gamma
A recent study on a patient with breast cancer has shown that the cancer cells only
responded to INF-Alfa. Hence, recently IFN-Alfa is used to treat cancer. It boosts
the ability of certain immune cells to attack cancer cells. And also it has an effect
on proliferation and differentiation of cancer cells and it has slowed the growth of
cancer cells directly.
Platanias et al. have reported a strong effect of IFN-Alfa on the treatment of
some malignancies including hairy cell leukemia (HCL) and chronic myelogenous
leukemia (CML) [109]. IFN therapy has improved the rate of survival compared to
other therapies like chemotherapy. IFN-Alfa also can be used to treat other cancers
include follicular non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, kidney cancer, melanoma, cutaneous
(skin) T-cell lymphoma, and Kaposi sarcoma [110].
INFs as a cancer treatment has some side effect such as:
• Flu-like symptoms (chills, fever, headache, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, and
vomiting)
• Low white blood cell counts (which increase the risk of infection)
• Skin rashes
• Thinning hair

The appearance of these side effects is different in patients and most of them
will disappear after stop of treatment, however, some of them such as fatigues can
remains for a long time. Other side effects which are rare include nerve-damaging
that mostly happens in the brain and spinal cord [108].

4.7.2 Immune checkpoint inhibitors
The goal of nonspecific immunotherapy is to boost the immune system without
any specification. Beside the IL-2 and IFNs, there are other drugs which boost the