Biological Therapy

Monoclonal antibodies, interferon, interleukin-2 (IL-2), and several types of colony-stimulating factors (CSF, GM- CSF, G-CSF) are forms of biological therapy. For example, interleukin-2 and interferon are two examples of BRMs being tested for the treatment of advanced malignant melanoma.

Monoclonal antibodies are a common type of biological therapy for many different cancers and other conditions. These are laboratory-produced antibodies that are designed to attack specific proteins expressed by abnormal cells. Examples of monoclonal antibody drugs include rituximab, which is used to treat non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, alemtuzumab (Campath) to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), and ipilimumab (Yervoy) for metastatic melanoma.

Other kinds of monoclonal antibodies used to treat cancers target proteins that are responsible for cell growth. Examples of these drugs include bevacizumab (Avastin), which targets vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), cetuximab (Erbitux) and panitumumab (Vectibix) to target the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and trastuzumab (Herceptin) and pertuzumab (Perjeta) to target the human epidermal growth factor receptor- 2 (HER-2).

Modes of biologic therapy that involve blocking the action of specific proteins of inflammation, called tumor necrosis factor (TNF), are being used for the treatment of a number of diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis and Crohn's disease. Etanercept (Enbrel) and infliximab (Remicade) are examples of commercially available injectable TNF-blocking treatments for patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Biological therapy is a very active and exciting area of cancer research.

Biological therapies are prescribed by specialists who treat cancers (oncologists or hematologist-oncologists), as well as other specialists, including rheumatologists and gastroenterologists.