I am taking interferon Alpha2b as adjuvant care for stage 3 melanoma. In theory, this treatment is supposed to help my immune system destroy any covert disease that remains. (All detectable disease was removed in surgery.)
But a side effect of the treatment is abnormally low neutrafil levels. Neutrafils are the white blood cells that fight infection. Isn't this counterproductive? Or are the neutrafil cells not responsile for cancer fighting?
Copyright © 2024 Q2A.MX - All rights reserved.
Answers & Comments
Verified answer
Neutrafils are a leukocyte and in theory, your immune system will not attack cancer cells because they are a part of your genetic make up. Even though cancer cells mutate, the immune system does not and cannot see these cells as a threat. When the immune system attacks, it's because of an outside infection. Something that enters your body from an outside source. Then the immune system kicks in and attacks. Neutrafils have a short life span which is why your levels will be low. Normally, they are the first to respond to acute inflammation or injury minutes after following trauma. No leukocytes, neutrafils or any part of the immune system will have an effect on cancer cells. They don't see any change and if the immune system could talk it would say, "We've been together since conception, so what's the problem?" Silly I know, but such is the life of the immune system. Hope you feel better.
i'm a chemotherapy experienced nurse and that i'm no longer fairly effective what youre getting at. Sorry. yet in short No. Thats no longer the way it works. The cells are a complicated gadget that we nevertheless completely dont underderstand. yet what we do know is that maximum cancers starts off with one cellular it somewhat is able to mutate and adapt to whichever element of the physique it lives in. Cancers will unfold interior the path of the physique if left untreated often times in an organised way. This spreading takes on has many varieties ie- no longer purely "hundreds" in keeping with the place it originated from. ie lymph nodes, bones, liver as a result many distinctive remedies are needed.Chemo, Radiotherapy and surgical operation stay the main useful and attainable procedures right this moment.