Dendritic Cell Therapy
Dendritic Cell Therapy, Virotherapy and PDT As Used In Cancer Treatment
Cancer treatments has evolved over a time and today there are very alternative cancer treatment methods all these geared towards providing a better cancer treatment to the patients. Cancer patients have always undergone pain and suffering that most conventional cancer treatments expose them to. This is not to say that the conventional cancer treatment methods are ineffective, no they are effective but are always accompanied by some life threatening side effects that doctors have done lots of research to mitigate. Some of the cancer therapies aim at sensitizing the immune system to act against the cancer causing agents. These treatments are good because they initiate or other ‘ignite’ the body’s natural healing ability thereby fighting cancer the natural without exposing the cancer patient myriads of life threatening side effects. Immunotherapy approach to cancer treatment has gained popularity and is now widely used all over the world in cancer treatment. Here are some of the therapies that are used widely in the fight against cancer.
Dendritic Cell Therapy
The dendritic therapy works as a form of vaccine. The dendritic cells produce antigens that are able to sensitize the T cells to both new and recall antigens. The dendritic cells have been said to be most powerful antigen producing cells. The dendritic therapy works by triggering the antitumor activity of the immune system by generating the effector cells that work by attacking the tumors. This is an immunotherapy approach to cancer treatment.
Researchers have done lots of work on the effectiveness of the dendritic therapy in cancer treatment and the research findings have shown that dendritic cells can be injected into the body in the form of a vaccine and help in fighting cancer. If cancer is present in the body, inoculation with new dendritic cells notifies the immune system of the presence of cancer and which then begin vital immune function against the cancer. The dendritic cells help to mobilize the great power of the immune system to identify cancer and fight the cancer cells. These dendritic cells are cultured from the patient’s own white blood cells so they are referred to as autologous.
As always a known role of vaccination; it improves the specific immune function. When an antigen is introduced in the body, the antibodies and the entire immune system is triggered to fight the antigen. This however should be perfected by repeated exposure to the antigen. For this reason the dendritic therapy is done repeatedly to train the immune system to rise against the cancer causing antigens. Patients will be vaccinated with dendritic cells six times at monthly intervals at the beginning of the therapy after which they will be vaccinated once after every six months for duration of three years. These injections help to boost the potency of the vaccine. After the six month interval of injections the patient will begin receiving these injections yearly.
The immune system should be strong enough to spot the cancer cells as they begin to grow. This is because in every human being there are cancer cells that are produced every day. However exposure to carcinogens such as tobacco smoke, radiation, heavy metals, pesticides and food preservatives will make these cells malignant. When the immune system is strong then the cancer cells will be spotted and destroyed early before a person develops clinical cancer and this is the role played by the dendritic therapy as it sensitizes the immune system to rise against the cancer cells.
The dendritic cells improve the immune response to cancer as they move throughout the body scavenging for abnormal cells. They also help as they target cells that might become malignant as a result of virus infections and sensitizing the immune system to destroy them earlier.
Virotherapy
This is a form of cancer treatment that involves the use of biotechnology to convert the viruses into cancer fighting agents. The viruses are programmed by use of biotechnology to attack cancerous cells but the healthy cells are not interfered with/. Such viruses as herpes simplex virus and adenoviruses are used. These treatments target the cells and the DNA.
The idea of using viruses in cancer treatment began as early as 1950s when doctors that cancer patients who suffered a non-related viral infection, or who had been vaccinated recently, improved greatly. This improvement is attributed to the production of interferon and tumor necrosis factors in response to viral infection. Virotherapy targets only cancer cells and so the healthy cells are not affected.
Before being used in some hospitals the Virotherapy was tested on animal models for its effectiveness in fighting cancer. By 1956 some clinics had began using Virotherapy in treatment of cancer patients. However the adoption of this treatment as a main stream cancer treatment was delayed due to inadequate technology by that time.
PDT
In Photodynamic therapy or PDT special drugs called photosensitizing agents are used along with light to kill cancer cells. These drugs work only after getting activated by a special light. This treatment is often called the phototherapy or photochemotherapy.
The treatment introduces the photosensitizing agents in the body. The photosensitizing agents can be put through veins into the blood stream or can just be put on the skin. Several minutes pass by for the drug to be absorbed by the cancer cells. A light is then applied on the affected area to induce a reaction between the drug and the oxygen which forms a chemical that destroys the cancer cells. It also works by destroying the blood vessels that supply the cancer cells with nutrients hence they are starved and killed.
Dr. Dalal Akoury (MD) is an experienced integrative cancer doctor that has helped many cancer patients in their fight against the disease. She has worked hard not only in treating the disease but also in availing informational support to cancer patients at Awaremed which has become a place called home for many cancer patients. Call on her now and get help on cancer.
Dendritic Cell Therapy, Virotherapy and PDT As Used In Cancer Treatment
Related articles
