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Cytokinotherapy – This is the treatment of various diseases with proteins that the human body itself reproduces in response to the pathogenic effects of certain factors. Viruses, foreign cells, bacterial endotoxins, mitogens, antigens, foreign nucleic acids act as pathogens.
Cytokine therapy has not yet received such wide popularity in terms of oncology treatment as chemotherapy, radiotherapy or radiation therapy. However, this does not mean that it is less effective. In addition, cytokine therapy is practically harmless to human health, since it very rarely causes the development of any side effects, or does not cause them at all.
Cytokine preparations are based on substances created by nature itself. Proteins, taken as the basis of therapy, exist as long as the human race itself exists. Not a single drug can flaunt such a long period of “clinical trials”.
The therapeutic effect of cytokine therapy is based on the functions of cytokines in the human body:
Triggering, control and regulation of immunological reactions in response to the impact of pathological factors.
Control of the work of acquired immunity, activation of specific immunity, regulation of the work of cells of the immune system, stimulation of the activity of killer cells.
Ensuring cell renewal processes for young and healthy.
Ensuring the complex work of the nervous, immune and endocrine systems.
It has been established that the production of cytokines is one of the first reactions of the body in response to pathogens. They appear already in the first hours and days from the moment the threat appears. With the help of cytokines, the body protects itself not only from foreign proteins, but also from foreign genetic information. At present, more than 100 types of cytokines are known. All of them are divided into five large groups: IFN, IL (interleukins), RSF (growth factors), chemoxins, TNF (lymphotoxins). Each of these groups of cytokines has its own specific biological role in the body.
Here is just a small part of the list of diseases that are officially allowed in the Russian Federation to be treated with cytokinotherapy:
viral hepatitis B and C of chronic course and acute course;
Multiple myeloma in remission;
Kaposi’s sarcoma in patients with HIV;
Melanomas;
Genital warts;
SARS, influenza, rotavirus infections, bacterial intestinal infections;
Erosion of the cervix, vulvovaginitis, vaginal dysbacteriosis and other diseases of the female genital area;
Infections of the mucous membranes and skin of a viral nature;
Multiple sclerosis;
HIV and AIDS;
Pulmonary tuberculosis;
Shingles;
Breast tumor and other oncopathologies;
Anemia treatment.
Some groups of cytokines are used in the form of monotherapy, some drugs are used in combination with other drugs. The choice of a particular drug is based on what kind of disease a person has, in what form it proceeds, etc.
Statistics indicate that the level of effectiveness of the use of cytokine therapy varies according to various data. Nevertheless, in the complex treatment of cancer patients with the use of cytokine preparations, absolute success was achieved in 10-30% of cases, a partial effect was noted by 40 to 90% of clinicians. Partial success should be understood as a reduction in size of the neoplasm, stabilization of the oncological process, improvement in clinical and laboratory parameters, etc.
An increase in the therapeutic effect is clearly seen when cytokine therapy is included in the general scheme for the treatment of diseases of an inflammatory, infectious and sclerotic nature. At the same time, the maximum effect can be achieved only with proper selection of the drug, with its correct dosage, depending on the form and stage of a particular disease. Treatment with large doses of cytokines or an increase in the frequency of drug administration does not affect the success of therapy.
Cytokine therapy of oncological diseases using Ingaron and Refnot preparations
Modern cytokine therapy of oncological diseases realizes the following effects:
Providing an antitumor effect.
Achievement of local anti-metastasis effect.
Prevention of the development of the tumor process and metastasis.
Providing a synergistic anti-cancer effect (in combination with chemotherapy).
Reducing the side effects of chemotherapy.
Prevention and therapy of possible complications of an infectious nature.
It has been established that cytokine therapy, started a week before the proposed chemotherapy, helps to prevent the development of neutropenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, etc. After completing the course of cytokine therapy, patients develop immunity, which makes it possible to prevent the development of infectious diseases and dispense with taking antibacterial drugs.
The drug Ingaron contains in its composition Interferon-gamma, which is a person’s own protein and is produced by the body’s immune system. The drug Ingaron has passed clinical trials at the Russian Cancer Research Center named after N. N. Blokhin. During the tests, the antitumor activity of Ingaron was proved, its immunomodulatory properties were confirmed, the ability of the drug to suppress the angiogenesis of cancer cells, etc. was established.
The next drug, which also went through three phases of clinical trials, is called Refnot. It contains the cytokine TNF (tumor necrosis factor). This most important protein protects the human body from various infections, and also controls the growth and development of neoplasms. It has been proven that Refnot interferes with the process of tumor division, contributes to their destruction, prevents tumors from acquiring their own vessels, damages already existing tumor vessels, disrupts its blood circulation and provokes the death of the neoplasm.
An important quality of Refnot and Ingaron is that both of these drugs have practically no toxic effect on the human body, do not inhibit the natural function of hematopoiesis, but at the same time activate the immune system to fight neoplasms.
For the treatment of cancer patients, a combination of Refnot and Ingaron is used, which allows a more targeted effect on tumor cells. Unlike chemotherapy, the combination of these two drugs does not suppress, but rather stimulates the immune system. In addition, the fact that the treatment of oncological formations with any individual drug is less effective is proven.
World studies allow us to state that the following types of tumors are sensitive to therapy with Ingaron and Refnot drugs:
Tumors of the nervous system;
Tumors of the lungs;
Tumors of the neck and head;
Tumors of the stomach, pancreas and large intestine;
Tumors of the prostate;
Tumors of the bladder;
bone tumors;
Tumors of the uterus and ovaries;
Leukemia.
The course of treatment for any of the listed types of tumor processes is reduced to combined cytokine therapy, which lasts for 20 days. The drugs are given as injections. For one course, you will need 10 vials of each of these drugs. They are dispensed by prescription.
Possible side effects from undergoing treatment with Refnot and Ingaron
After the introduction of cytokines, the following side effects may occur:
Rise in body temperature by 2-3 degrees. This side effect occurs in 10% of patients. A jump in body temperature occurs after a few hours from the moment of administration of the drug (from 4 to 6 hours). To normalize body temperature, you should take an antipyretic, for example, Aspirin, Ibuprofen, Paracetamol or another drug from the NSAID group. Moreover, one should not be afraid of the absence of an antitumor effect, on the contrary, it will only intensify.
There may be some soreness at the injection site with reddening of the skin. Therefore, the place for the introduction of drugs should be alternated. Taking NSAIDs also helps reduce local inflammation. For the same purpose, an iodine mesh can be applied to the skin.
If the patient has a large tumor, then poisoning of the body with its decay products is not excluded. To reduce the symptoms of intoxication, the administration of cytokines is suspended for a period of one to three days, after which the course is continued.
When the course of treatment is completed, the patient must be re-diagnosed using previously used instrumental examination methods (MRI, PET, CT, ultrasound, determination of the level of tumor markers, etc.). It should be noted that a high level of tumor markers immediately after the completion of the treatment process is expected, which is due to the process of tumor decay.
Antitumor effects of cytokine therapy
The results of treatment directly depend on the sensitivity of tumor cells to administered cytokines:
Normal sensitivity guarantees the complete disappearance of the tumor and metastases, that is, there is a complete regression of the oncological process. In this case, a person is recommended to undergo another course of cytokine therapy after 14-21 weeks.
If a person has a moderate sensitivity of tumor cells to injected cytokines, then there is a decrease in the size of the neoplasm and metastases, that is, partial regression is observed. In this case, the patient is recommended a second course of cytokine therapy.
If tumor cells are resistant to treatment with cytokines, then it is possible to achieve stabilization of the tumor process. It is possible that atypical malignant cells differentiate into benign ones, and the tumor itself will be covered with a fibrous membrane.
In about 20% of patients, tumors continue to grow. Such patients are recommended to undergo cytokine therapy in combination with chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
It should be noted that chemotherapy, which is carried out against the background of cytokine therapy, is much easier for patients to tolerate, and the antitumor effect is much higher.
How much does cytokine therapy cost?
The price of Refnot and Ingaron preparations varies depending on the region in which the purchase will be made. The average price for 5 capsules of Refnot varies from 10 to 000 rubles. The drug Ingaron, used for intramuscular injection, can be purchased at a price of 11 rubles for 000 capsules.