Interferons: Biological Activities and Clinical Efficacy

ISBN-13: 9783540610519 / Angielski / Miękka / 1996 / 289 str.

Carlo Aul;Wolfgang Schneider

Opis

Interferons were among the first cytokines to be studied clinically in recombinant form in the 1980s, beginning a new era of pharmacotherapy in internal medicine. This book contains a general introduction to the classification, structure and mode of action of interferons.

Spis treści

Distribution of Interferon-?2 Genes in Humans.- The Role of Endogenous Interferon-? in HIV Infection and Autoimmune Diseases — An Overview.- Treatment of Chronic Viral Hepatitis with Interferon-?.- Interferon Therapy of Neuroendocrine Tumours.- Use of Interferon-? in the Treatment of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia.- Interferon Therapy of Essential Thrombocythemia and Polycythemia Vera.- Follicular Lymphomas: Morphology, Prognostic Factors and Treatment.- Treatment Strategies in Multiple Myeloma: Biotherapy with Interferons.- Treatment Options for Hairy Cell Leukemia.- Alpha-Interferon and Bone Marrow or Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation.- Cutaneous Lymphomas: A Heterogenous Group of Lymphoproliferative Disorders At Least in Part Sensitive to Interferon Treatment.- Current Therapy Strategies for Malignant Melanoma with Special Regard to Immunotherapy with Cytokines.- Interferons in Kaposi’s Sarcoma.- Interferons in the Treatment of Genitorurinary Tumors.- Adverse Effects of Interferon Treatment.- Interferon-?: Its Current Clinical Utility and Future Perspectives.

Blurb

Interferons were among the first cytokines to be studied clinically in recombinant form in the 1980s, beginning a new era of pharmacotherapy in internal medicine. Although originally discovered as antiviral substances, interferons were soon employed in the treatment of tumors due to their antiproliferative, differentiation-inducing, and immunomodulatory properties. It was shown that those hematopoietic neoplasias which have been difficult to treat with chemotherapy, such as hairy cell leukemia, responded well to interferon treatment. The abundant data from 15 years of studying the significance of this therapeutic approach in hematooncology and other medical disciplines impressively demonstrate that progress in medicine is not the result of spectacular individual investigations, but rather results from longterm clinical research.
These are only preliminary findings, however, since still today there are many questions open pertaining to the clinical application of interferons - in particular their possible cumulative effect in combination with other cytokines or cytostatic drugs.
In the present volume, renowned international authors update the importance of interferons in various fields of internal medicine, dermatology, and urology. The book also contains an introduction to the genetics of the interferon system. Further chapters discuss the range of side effects of these substances and point out possible focuses for further clinical interferon research.