Cytokine Therapy - What Is It And How Much Does It Cost?

2024 Author: Josephine Shorter | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-07 17:49

Cytokine therapy - what is it and how much does it cost?

Cytokine therapy 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 at this point in time has not received as widespread recognition 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 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. The proteins used as the basis of therapy have been around for as long as the human race itself. No 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:

• Initiation, control and regulation of immunological reactions in response to the influence of pathological factors.

• Control of the acquired immunity, activation of specific immunity, regulation of the immune system cells, 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 after the appearance of the threat. The body, with the help of cytokines, shields itself not only from foreign proteins, but also from foreign genetic information. To date, 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.

Cytokine-based drugs are used to treat a wide variety of diseases. At this point in time, more than 50 oncological, inflammatory, infectious and sclerotic pathologies are known, which to one degree or another respond to cytokine therapy. And this list is constantly growing.

Here are just a small part of the list of diseases that are officially allowed in the Russian Federation to be treated with cytokine therapy:

• chronic and acute viral hepatitis B and C;
• Multiple myeloma in remission;
• Kaposi's sarcoma in patients with HIV;
• Melanomas;
• Genital warts;
• ARVI, influenza, rotavirus infections, bacterial intestinal infections;
• Erosion of the cervix, vulvovaginitis, vaginal dysbiosis 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;
• Treating anemia.

Some groups of cytokines are used as monotherapy, some drugs are used in combination with other drugs. The choice of a specific drug is based on what kind of disease a person has, in what form it proceeds, etc.

Statistics indicate that the level of effectiveness from the use of cytokine therapy varies according to different data. Nevertheless, in the complex treatment of cancer patients with the use of cytokine drugs, 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 decrease in neoplasm in size, stabilization of the oncological process, improvement of clinical and laboratory parameters, etc.

An increase in the therapeutic effect is clearly seen when cytokine therapy is included in the general regimen for the treatment of diseases of an inflammatory, infectious and sclerotic nature. At the same time, the maximum effect can be achieved only with the correct selection of the drug, with its correct dosage, depending on the form and stage of a particular disease. Treatment with high doses of cytokines or increasing the frequency of drug administration does not affect the success of therapy.

Content:

• Cytokine therapy of oncological diseases using Ingaron and Refnot
• Antineoplastic effects of cytokine therapy
• How much does cytokine therapy cost?
• Presentation of cytokine therapy by Dr. Shmelev V. A.

Cytokine therapy of oncological diseases using Ingaron and Refnot

Modern cytokine therapy for oncological diseases implements the following effects:

• Providing an antitumor effect.
• Achievement of a local anti-metastatic effect.
• Prevention of the development of tumor and metastasis.
• Providing a synergistic anticancer 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 begun a week before the proposed chemotherapy prevents the development of neutropenia, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, anemia, etc. After completing the course of cytokine therapy, patients develop immunity, which allows them to prevent the development of infectious diseases and to avoid taking antibacterial drugs.

Ingaron contains Interferon-gamma, which is a human's own protein and is produced by the body's immune system. Ingaron has undergone clinical trials at the N. N. Blokhin Russian Cancer Research Center. 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.

In 2005, Ingaron was officially registered and approved for the treatment of cancer patients in Russia.

The next drug that has also passed three phases of clinical trials is called Refnot. It contains the cytokine TNF (tumor necrosis factor). This essential protein protects the human body from various infections, and also controls the growth and development of neoplasms. It is proved that Refnot interferes with the process of tumor division, promotes their destruction, prevents tumors from acquiring their own vessels, damages already existing vessels of the tumor, disrupts its blood circulation and provokes the death of the neoplasm.

Refnot was officially registered in the Russian Federation in 2009 in the month of March.

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 immunity to fight neoplasms.

For the treatment of cancer patients, a combination of Refnot and Ingaron drugs 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, it has been proven that the treatment of cancer with any particular drug is less effective.

World studies allow us to state that the following types of tumors are sensitive to therapy with Ingaron and Refnot:

• Tumors of the nervous system;
• Lung tumors
• 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 continues for 20 days. The drugs are administered by injection. For one course, you will need 10 bottles of each of these drugs. They are prescription drugs.

Possible side effects of treatment with Refnot and Ingaron

After the introduction of cytokines, the following side effects may appear:

• The rise in body temperature by 2-3 degrees. This side effect occurs in 10% of patients. A jump in body temperature occurs a few hours after the injection of the drug (from 4 to 6 hours). To normalize body temperature, you should take antipyretic drugs, 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 redness of the skin. Therefore, the place for the administration of drugs should be alternated. NSAIDs can also help reduce local inflammation. For the same purpose, an iodine mesh can be applied to the skin.
• If the patient has a large tumor, then it is possible that the body will be poisoned by the products of its decay. To reduce the symptoms of intoxication, the introduction 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 techniques (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.

Antineoplastic effects of cytokine therapy

The results of treatment directly depend on the sensitivity of tumor cells to injected 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, the 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 neoplasms and metastases in size, that is, there is a partial regression. In this case, the patient is recommended to repeat the course of cytokine therapy.
• If tumor cells are resistant to treatment with cytokines, 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 drugs varies depending on the region in which the purchase will be made. The average price for 5 capsules of Refnot varies from 10,000 to 11,000 rubles. Ingaron, which is used for intramuscular administration, can be purchased at a price of 5,000 rubles for 5 capsules.

Presentation of cytokine therapy by Dr. Shmelev V. A

The author of the article: Bykov Evgeny Pavlovich | Oncologist, surgeon

Education: graduated from residency at the Russian Scientific Oncological Center. N. N. Blokhin "and received a diploma in the specialty" Oncologist"