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| Detailed Guide: Leukemia - Adult Chronic |
Immunotherapy |
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Interferon Therapy
Interferons are a family of substances naturally produced by several types of cells. Inteferon-alpha is the type most often used in treating chronic leukemia. This substance reduces growth and division of leukemia cells and promotes the immune system's attack against the leukemia cells. Interferon can be injected into a vein, into a muscle, or under the skin. Daily injection under the skin is the most common treatment plan.
Possible side effects include muscle aches, bone pain, headaches, problems with thinking and concentration, fatigue, nausea, and vomiting. These problems are temporary and usually improve after treatment is completed. These side effects may be lessened by other drugs given along with the interferon.
Monoclonal Antibodies
These are similar to the antibodies naturally produced by immune system cells to fight infections. The difference is that monoclonal antibodies can be created in the laboratory to specifically react with certain types of cancer cells. Some of these monoclonal antibodies can cause the patient's immune system to react and destroy the cancer cells.
Alemtuzumab (Campath) is the first monoclonal antibody approved to treat chronic leukemia. It is used in patients with CLL who are no longer responding to standard chemotherapy treatments. The major side effects are fever and chills with the injection. Campath can also lead to infections because it eliminates many lymphocytes, including the normal infection-fighting ones.
Rituximab (Rituxan) is a monoclonal antibody approved for use against certain kinds of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Researchers are now studying whether it might be effective against chronic leukemia as well.
Other drugs, consisting of monoclonal antibodies attached to radioactive particles, are now being studied and may also prove to be useful in the future.
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