Immunotherapy Flashcards
What risk comes with corticosteroids?
they suppress the whole immune system so there a risk of opportunistic infection
What are Immunoglobulins?
They are antibodies
Can be given if you have a problem making antibodies
What is the half life of immunoglobulins inserted into a patient?
2-3 weeks
How can immunoglobulins be given to the patient?
IV or subcutaneously
What is direct immunotherapy?
They deliver the toxin to directly kill the tumour
What are examples of direct immunotherapy?
monoclonal antibody
chimeric antigen receptors
bi specific antibodies
What is indirect immunotherapy?
you treat the immune system and render it able to seek out and kill cancer cells (you’re trying to boost the immune system)
What are examples of indirect immunotherapies?
Dendritic cell vaccines cytokine therapies adoptive cell transfer stimulatory antibodies checkpoint inhibitor therapies
What is a monoclonal antibody?
Its when you isolate a single antibody and produce loads of clones that are completely identical
What is a hybridoma?
Used in monoclonal antibody production.
Antibody + myeloma (cancer) cell.
Why are hybridomas used?
this combines the longevity of the myeloma cell with the ability to produce a specific antibody
What is the 1st line treatment for non hidgkins lymphoma?
Ritixumab
What can ritixumab be used to treat?
Non Hodgkins lymphoma
Rheumatoid arthritis
Systemic lupus erythematosus
What is an advantage of rituximab?
They wipe out the B cell population but don’t seem to cause opportunistic infections
How does infliximab work?
It blocks tumour necrosis factor (a pro inflammatory cytokine that stimulates immune reactions)
What is infliximab used to treat?
Rheumatoid arthritis
Crohn’s
Ulcerative colitis
Ankylosing spondylitis
How does Herceptin/trastuzumab work?
It binds to HER 2 on cancer cells and marks them out for destruction by the immune system.
15-20% of breast cancer is by HER2
How does pertuzimab work?
Binds to a different part of HER 2 and blocks HER 3 from binding to HER 2, this disrupts signalling and prevents cancer cells from growing.
Which 2 drugs are given as a combination therapy for cancer?
Trastuzumab and pertuzimab
What is riskankizumab used for?
to treat plaque psoriasis
What is a con of checkpoint inhibitors?
There is often growth of the tumour for a few weeks before the therapy starts to kick in
What is CAR T cell therapy?
A T cell is modified to have an antigen binding domain
What are dendritic cell vaccines?
You take the dendritic cell out of the body and grow lots then infuse it with tumour antigens then infuse back into the patient where it will induce an immune response against the cancer
