ROLE OF IMMUNO-THERAPY IN TREATMENT OF LYMPHOMA


Lymphoma: type of cancer that arising from the infection-fighting cells in immune system called lymphocytes (white blood cell type in the bone marrow)

Lymphocytes function: circulate throughout the body via blood and the lymphatic system; as bacteria and other invaders (pathogenic microbes or foreign substance) are encountered in the lymph fluid, lymphocytes multiply (including B cells, T cells, and natural killer (NK) cells).

How Lymphomas develop? - When the lymphocytes transform from healthy to malignant cells.

How Lymphomas develop? - When the lymphocytes transform from healthy to malignant cells.

Classification for lymphoma - partly classified as B cell lymphomas (the majority/common), T cell lymphomas, or NK cell lymphomas (rare).

Note: Lymphoma is one of the primary cancers to affect children and young adults.

The two main types are:

  1. Hodgkin lymphoma: only about 10% of patients diagnosed are affected
  2. non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL): vast majority (90%) of lymphoma diagnosed

Hodgkin lymphoma: categorized specifically on microscopy with presence of Reed-Sternberg cells. Reed-Sternberg cells: large, cancerous, B cell-derived cells with a distinct appearance, Hodgkin lymphoma is one of the most treatment-responsive cancer types, even advanced disease are being cured with standard therapies.

Non-Hodgkin lymphoma(NHL): r diverse group of diseases distinguished by the characteristics of the cancer cells associated. Most people with NHL have a B cell type (about 85%), others have a T cell type or a natural killer (NK) cell type of lymphoma. NHL represents a more aggressive cancer ; still certain cases with fast-growing NHL can be completely cured.

Lymphoma Treatment Options (depends on type of lymphoma diagnosed):

  1. Chemotherapy
  2. Radiation
  3. combinations of the two are typically used to treat both types of lymphoma
  4. Stem cell treatment (in cases initial courses of treatments are ineffective)
  5. Radiotherapy is used less often (or used typically when the disease is localized to a single site in the body)
  6. Immunotherapy : class of treatments where patient’ own immune system is used to kill cancer cells. ( currently ten effective FDA-approved immunotherapy options for lymphoma are available)

The hematoncologist will talk to you about using immunotherapy for aiding the treatment regimen in lymphoma of you or your patient. Yes! Surely being promising newer type of cancer treatment; it works with natural immune system to find and kill cancer cells in patients body. For detail and learning about immunotherapy in lymphoma you can consult Dr Gaurav Dixit.

The different kinds of immunotherapy for lymphoma:

  1. Chemotherapy
  2. Radiation
  3. combinations of the two are typically used to treat both types of lymphoma
  4. Stem cell treatment (in cases initial courses of treatments are ineffective)
  5. Radiotherapy is used less often (or used typically when the disease is localized to a single site in the body)

Monoclonal Antibodies

Monoclonal antibodies mechanism of action:

  1. Restrict the cancer cells from growing by blocking signals sent out by the cancer cells.
  2. bind to the cancer cells and trigger immune system to kill them.
  3. Monoclonal antibodies attached to toxins, chemo, or radioactive substances and carry these cell-killing materials to the cancer cells and lock onto the antigen leading to the death of the cancer cells.
    • Rituximab (Rituxan) targets the CD20 antigen,
    • To target CD20. Other examples are ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin), obinutuzumab (Gazyva), and ofatumumab (Arzerra).
    • The monoclonal antibody that targets a different antigen found on lymphoma cells are availaible for instance, alemtuzumab (Campath) incase lymphoma cells have the CD52 antigen.
    • lymphoma cells might have the CD30 antigen, in which case brentuximab vedotin (Adcetris), a monoclonal antibody attached to chemo, is part of treatment plan.

Immunomodulating Drugs

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors:

In multiple myeloma case if no symptoms are experienced (condition also known as smoldering multiple myeloma), one might not need treatment right away. However, regularly monitoring condition for signs and follow up is a necessity, so that the disease is progressing or not can be kept to a vigilant record by your hemato-oncologist.

CAR T-Cell Therapy: very new treatment used for some types of B-cell lymphoma.

Targeted Antibodies/target drug therapy like:

Immunomodulators:

CAR T-Cell Therapy:

Request an Appointment with Dr Gaurav Dixit at Action cancer hospital,A-4, Paschim Vihar, New Delhi, Delhi, India 110063.

For consultation please see following contact details:

Dr Gaurav Dixit DM (clinical hematology)

Consultant clinical Hematologist and BMT physician

Action cancer hospital

A-4 Paschim Vihar, New Delhi 110063

He can be reached at following Website :https://www.drgauravdixit.com/