what is interferon treatment

Interferon-alfa2b Treatment for Melanoma

• Interferon-alfa2b. Also called interferon-alpha2b, IFN and Intron A, Interferon-alfa2b was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1995.
• Evidence for the Effectiveness of Interferon-alfa2b. ...
• Use of Interferon-alfa2b. ...
• Potential Side Effects of Interferon-alfa2b. ...
• Interactions. ...

Full Answer

What are the side effects of interferon therapy?

• poor sleep quality
• chronic inflammation in the body
• certain genetic factors
• a lack of social support from others

Why would interferon be used as a cancer treatment?

It is also used to treat conditions other than cancer including hepatitis B and hepatitis C. Interferon alfa stimulates T cells and other immune system cells to attack the cancer. It can also encourage cancer cells to send out chemicals that attract immune system cells to them.

What are the different types of interferon treatment?

• The most common side effect of interferon involves severe, flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, and muscle pains.
• Interferon can also cause abnormal blood counts, with patients showing reduced levels of hemoglobin, white cells, and platelets.
• Interferon has psychological side effects and may prompt depression and suicidal feelings. ...

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Is interferon some sort of chemotherapy?

The American Medical Association (AMA) documents Interferon Alfa-2A and Alfa-2B as Chemotherapy. The AMA CPT Administration codes, as well as the CMS/HCPCS codes, for Interferon Alfa-2A and 2B, fall under the category of Injectable chemotherapy.

What is interferon treatment used for?

Interferon alfa-2b injection is used to treat hepatitis B and C, lymphoma (lymph node cancer), malignant melanoma (skin cancer), genital warts, hairy cell leukemia (blood cell cancer), and Kaposi sarcoma (AIDS-related tumor). Interferons are substances produced by cells in the body to help fight infections and tumors.

Is interferon being used to treat Covid?

Interferon beta-1a has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis, and it has been evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of COVID-19.

How is interferon treatment administered?

How is interferon administered? Interferon is usually given by injection underneath the skin of the thigh or belly. The drug may also be given through a drip. In a 2013 study , interferon was given orally to see whether this would be effective in preventing chest infections.

Is interferon considered chemotherapy?

Interferon-alfa2b is different than a chemotherapy drug; it is actually a natural part of your body's immune system. It is known as a cytokine, which are chemicals normally secreted by cells called leukocytes in response to a virus, bacteria, or other foreign intruders.

What are the side effects of interferon?

These side effects can include:swelling or other reactions at the injection site.flu-like symptoms such as headache, tiredness, and weakness.chills.fever.trouble sleeping.nausea.vomiting.diarrhea.More items...

Is interferon an immunotherapy?

Interferon is a type of immunotherapy patients receive as adjuvant therapy to reduce the risk of melanoma relapse.

How much does interferon treatment cost?

The total cost of the IFN treatment regimen was estimated to range between US$1,120 and US$1,962 and the total cost of the Peg-IFN treatment regimen between US$2,156 and US$5,887 ( Table 3).

What foods produce interferon?

The chronic eating of garlic was found to maintain IFN-alpha at high levels for at least 7 days. The exposure of neutrophils to garlic in vivo or in vitro, which also stimulated synthesis of NO in these cells, was found to stimulate IFN-alpha synthesis as measured by the stimulation of IFN-alpha mRNA synthesis.

Where is interferon injected?

You can inject interferon beta-1a in areas of your body with a layer of fat between the skin and muscle, such as your thigh, the outer surface of your upper arms, your stomach, or your buttocks. If you are very thin, only inject in your thigh or the outer surface of your arm for injection.

What cancers does interferon treat?

Interferon alfa (IntronA, Roferon-A)kidney cancer (renal cell cancer)melanoma.multiple myeloma.some types of leukaemia.some neuroendocrine tumours (NETs)non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Does interferon cause hair loss?

Your hair may become thin, brittle, or may fall out. This typically begins two to three weeks after treatment starts. This hair loss can be all body hair, including pubic, underarm, legs/arms, eyelashes, and nose hairs. The use of scarves, wigs, hats, and hairpieces may help.

How useful are interferons in oncology?

Interferons are made in the body by white blood cells and other cells, but they can also be made in the laboratory to use as treatments for different diseases. In cancer therapy, interferons may help keep cancer cells from growing and may help kill cancer cells.

What is the effect of interferon on the immune system?

Interferon medicines treat things like bacteria , viruses and cancer by boosting the immune system. They can cause retinopathy, which is a disease of the retina. Interferon medicines treat things like bacteria, viruses and cancer by boosting the immune system.

Can interferon cause retinopathy?

Interferon medicine can cause retinopathy. Retinopathy is a disease of the retinathat can lead to vision loss. In most cases, retinopathy due to interferon medicine is mild and reversible. However, retinopathy can lead to vision loss.

What are interferons used for?

Interferons are used to treat many diseases that involve the immune system for example , cancers, hepatitis, AIDS, multiple sclerosis (MS ), genital and perianal warts, and granulomatous disease. Two kinds of interferons are under investigation for treatment of severe cases of COVID-19 coronavirus disease, caused by the deadly SARS-nCoV-2 virus.

What is the purpose of interferons?

For example: interferon alfa-2a (Roferon-A) is FDA-approved to treat hairy cell leukemia, AIDS -related Kaposi's sarcoma, and chronic myelogenous leukemia. interferon alfa-2b is approved for the treatment of hairy cell leukemia, ...

What is the mechanism of action of interferons?

The mechanism of action of interferon is complex and is not well understood. Interferons modulate the response of the immune system to viruses, bacteria, cancer, and other foreign substances that invade the body. Interferons do not directly kill viral or cancerous cells; they boost the immune system response and reduce the growth ...

What are the side effects of interferons?

Other important side effects that may occur with all interferons, and that may be caused by higher doses are: Fatigue. Diarrhea.

What is interferon gamma-1B?

interferon alfa-n3 (Alferon-N) is approved for the treatment of genital and perianal warts caused by human papillomavirus ( HPV ). interferon gamma-1B (Actimmune) is approved for the treatment of chronic granulomatous disease, and severe , malignant osteopetrosis.

Which drugs interact with interferons?

Which drugs or supplements interact with interferons? Interferon alfa-2a, interferon alfa-2b, peginterferon beta-1a, and interferon beta-1b may increase blood levels of zidovudine (AZT, Retrovir ). While this reaction may improve zidovudine's effectiveness, it also may increase the risk of blood and liver toxicity.

When will interferons be available in the US?

included interferons as of April 7, 2020.

Recommendations

The COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (the Panel) recommends against the use of systemic interferon beta for the treatment of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 (AI).

Rationale

Many of the early studies that evaluated the use of systemic interferons for the treatment of COVID-19 were conducted in early 2020, before the widespread use of remdesivir and corticosteroids.

Clinical Trials

See ClinicalTrials.gov for a list of clinical trials that are evaluating the use of interferons for the treatment of COVID-19.

Adverse Effects

The most frequent adverse effects of systemic interferon include flu-like symptoms, nausea, fatigue, weight loss, hematological toxicities, elevated transaminases, and psychiatric problems (e.g., depression, suicidal ideation). Interferon beta is better tolerated than interferon alfa, but it can cause similar types of adverse effects. 6,7

Drug-Drug Interactions

Additive toxicities may occur when systemic interferons are used concomitantly with other immunomodulators and chemotherapeutic agents. 6,7

Considerations in Pregnancy

According to analyses of data from several large pregnancy registries, exposure to interferon beta-1b prior to conception or during pregnancy does not lead to an increased risk of adverse birth outcomes (e.g., spontaneous abortion, congenital anomaly). 8,9 Exposure to interferon beta-1b did not influence birth weight, height, or head circumference.

Considerations in Children

There are currently not enough data on the use of interferons to treat respiratory viral infections in children to make any recommendations for treating children with COVID-19.

What are Interferons?

Interferons are proteins produced by tumor cells or host cells that are infected with viruses, bacteria and other unknown nucleic acids. Interferons also activate other cells that serve as part of the immune system and destroy invading pathogens.

Further information

Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Who made interferon?

Interferon can also be produced by recombinant mammalian cells. Before the early 1970s, large scale production of human interferon had been pioneered by Kari Cantell. He produced large amounts of human alpha interferon from large quantities of human white blood cells collected by the Finnish Blood Bank.

What is the effect of interferons on tumors?

Such suppression causes a decrease in tumor angiogenesis, a decrease in its vascularization and subsequent growth inhibition. Interferons, such as interferon gamma, directly activate other immune cells, such as macrophages and natural killer cells.

What type of interferon is released by cytotoxic T cells?

Interferon type II ( IFN-γ in humans): This is also known as immune interferon and is activated by Interleukin-12. Type II interferons are also released by cytotoxic T cells and type-1 T helper cells. However, they block the proliferation of type-2 T helper cells. The previous results in an inhibition of T h 2 immune response ...

What are the different types of interferons?

Types of interferon. Based on the type of receptor through which they signal, human interferons have been classified into three major types. Interferon type I: All type I IFNs bind to a specific cell surface receptor complex known as the IFN-α/β receptor ( IFNAR) that consists of IFNAR1 and IFNAR2 chains.

How does interferon affect the immune system?

All interferons share several common effects: they are antiviral agents and they modulate functions of the immune system. Administration of Type I IFN has been shown experimentally to inhibit tumor growth in animals, but the beneficial action in human tumors has not been widely documented. A virus-infected cell releases viral particles that can infect nearby cells. However, the infected cell can protect neighboring cells against a potential infection of the virus by releasing interferons. In response to interferon, cells produce large amounts of an enzyme known as protein kinase R (PKR). This enzyme phosphorylates a protein known as eIF-2 in response to new viral infections; the phosphorylated eIF-2 forms an inactive complex with another protein, called eIF2B, to reduce protein synthesis within the cell. Another cellular enzyme, RNAse L —also induced by interferon action—destroys RNA within the cells to further reduce protein synthesis of both viral and host genes. Inhibited protein synthesis impairs both virus replication and infected host cells. In addition, interferons induce production of hundreds of other proteins—known collectively as interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs)—that have roles in combating viruses and other actions produced by interferon. They also limit viral spread by increasing p53 activity, which kills virus-infected cells by promoting apoptosis. The effect of IFN on p53 is also linked to its protective role against certain cancers.

How do viruses inhibit IFN?

Viruses that inhibit IFN signaling include Japanese Encephalitis Virus (JEV), dengue type 2 virus (DEN-2), SARS-CoV-2 and viruses of the herpesvirus family, such as human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) and Kaposi's sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV or HHV8). Viral proteins proven to affect IFN signaling include EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) and EBV nuclear antigen 2 (EBNA-2) from Epstein-Barr virus, the large T antigen of Polyomavirus, the E7 protein of Human papillomavirus (HPV), and the B18R protein of vaccinia virus. Reducing IFN-α activity may prevent signaling via STAT1, STAT2, or IRF9 (as with JEV infection) or through the JAK-STAT pathway (as with DEN-2 infection). Several poxviruses encode soluble IFN receptor homologs—like the B18R protein of the vaccinia virus—that bind to and prevent IFN interacting with its cellular receptor, impeding communication between this cytokine and its target cells. Some viruses can encode proteins that bind to double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) to prevent the activity of RNA-dependent protein kinases; this is the mechanism reovirus adopts using its sigma 3 (σ3) protein, and vaccinia virus employs using the gene product of its E3L gene, p25. The ability of interferon to induce protein production from interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) can also be affected. Production of protein kinase R, for example, can be disrupted in cells infected with JEV. Some viruses escape the anti-viral activities of interferons by gene (and thus protein) mutation. The H5N1 influenza virus, also known as bird flu, has resistance to interferon and other anti-viral cytokines that is attributed to a single amino acid change in its Non-Structural Protein 1 (NS1), although the precise mechanism of how this confers immunity is unclear.

What is the IFN?

Interferon type I (α/β/δ...) Interferons ( IFN s, / ˌɪntərˈfɪərɒn /) are a group of signaling proteins made and released by host cells in response to the presence of several viruses. In a typical scenario, a virus-infected cell will release interferons causing nearby cells to heighten their anti-viral ...

Does Interferon Alfa work?

You will be checked regularly by your healthcare professional while you are taking interferon alfa, to monitor side effects and check your response to therapy. Periodic blood work to monitor your complete blood count (CBC) as well as the function of other organs (such as your kidneys and liver) will also be ordered by your doctor.

Can you take aspirin with interferon alpha?

Do not take aspirin or products containing aspirin unless your doctor specifically permits this.

What is the role of interferon in the immune system?

When interferon is released, it sets off a series of reactions in nearby cells to help them defend against the infection. Interferon is, therefore, a critical part of the immune system.

What are the side effects of interferon?

One of the common and potentially most serious side effects of treatment with interferon is depression. A 2009 review. Trusted Source. on the subject found that the risk factors for developing depression during interferon treatment include: poor sleep quality. chronic inflammation in the body.

What are the side effects of a syringe injection?

dizziness. pain, redness, or swelling at the point of injection. loss or thinning of hair. reduced appetite and weight loss. breathlessness and pale skin. being more likely to bruise and bleed. being more likely to pick up an infection. exhaustion and weakness.

Is interferon a natural substance?

As well as occurring naturally in the body, interferon is also used as a treatment for various health disorders, including multiple sclerosis (MS), some types of cancer, and hepatitis C.

Does interferon affect heart health?

Trusted Source. looked at the effects of interferon on the heart health of people with chronic hepatitis. It found no significant negative effects. The authors suggested that interferon therapy might be used safely on people who did not have pre-existing heart disease.

Is interferon a part of the immune system?

Interferon is, therefore, a critical part of the immune system. There are three basic forms of interferon. These are alpha and beta, also known as type 1, while gamma is known as type 2. Each form of interferon has different effects on the body. As well as occurring naturally in the body, interferon is also used as a treatment for various health ...

Can interferon cause infertility?

Infertility is an occasional side effect of interferon use and can affect either men or women. Male infertility from interferon might be reversed after some months or years. However, female infertility will usually be a result of the drug triggering early menopause. As such, it will be permanent.

Recommendations

Rationale

Clinical Trials

Adverse Effects

Drug-Drug Interactions

Considerations in Pregnancy

Considerations in Children