Lymphoma Cancer Treatments – Interleukins
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Interleukins for Lymphoma
The cancer experts at Cancer Treatment Centers of America (CTCA) may recommend interleukins as a lymphoma treatment option. Interleukins are hormone-like substances which stimulate the growth of white blood cells (lymphocytes).
While these substances are naturally produced by the body, interleukins can also be made in the laboratory to treat diseases like lymphoma. Interleukins can help mimic the body’s natural defense against foreign cells, stimulate the growth of blood cells, and regulate inflammatory and immune responses to cancerous and infectious cells in the body.
For instance, interleukins may be used following other lymphoma cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy, in which the body's natural ability to generate white blood cells may have been compromised. One example of a pharmaceutically-manufactured biotherapy option for lymphoma is Interleukin-2, or IL-2. This type of biotherapy can help initiate the growth of T cells and enhance various T-cell functions.
IL-2 may be administered alone, or with your own lymphocytes that have been treated with IL-2 outside of your body. When lymphocytes are incubated with IL-2, lymphokine-activate killer (LAK) cells are produced. This type of killer T cell may help destroy tumor cells and improve immune function recovery in certain states of immunodeficiency.
The following are some potential side effects of IL-2:
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