Biologic therapy
Biologic Therapy
Biologic therapy, also known as biological therapy or immunotherapy, is a type of treatment that uses substances made from living organisms to treat disease. These substances may be naturally occurring or artificially produced in a laboratory. They include a wide range of products, such as vaccines, blood products, allergenic extracts, human cells and tissue, gene therapies, and recombinant therapeutic proteins.
Pronunciation: /baɪəˈlɒdʒɪk θɛrəpi/
Etymology: The term "biologic therapy" is derived from the word "biologic", which comes from the Greek word "bios" meaning "life", and "therapy", which comes from the Greek word "therapeia" meaning "healing".
Types of Biologic Therapy
Biologic therapy includes several different types of treatments, including:
- Monoclonal antibodies: These are laboratory-produced molecules that can bind to specific targets on cancer cells.
- Cancer vaccines: These are substances introduced into the body to stimulate an immune response against cancer cells.
- Interferons: These are proteins that the body naturally produces in response to viral infections, which can also help fight cancer.
- Interleukins: These are proteins that play a key role in the immune response, and can be used to treat certain types of cancer.
- Colony-stimulating factors: These are substances that stimulate the production of blood cells and can help the body recover from the effects of chemotherapy.
- Gene therapy: This involves introducing, removing, or altering genetic material within a cell to treat or prevent disease.
Uses of Biologic Therapy
Biologic therapy is used to treat a wide range of diseases and conditions, including cancer, autoimmune diseases, and infectious diseases. It can be used alone or in combination with other treatments, such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy.
Side Effects of Biologic Therapy
Like all treatments, biologic therapy can cause side effects. These can vary widely depending on the specific type of therapy, but may include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and fatigue. In some cases, biologic therapy can also cause an allergic reaction.
See Also
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