Final answer:
Cancer immunotherapy involves cytokines like interferons which improve immunity, slow tumor growth, and stimulate immune cells; interleukins which activate T-cells to target cancer; and colony-stimulating factors which enhance immune response by acting on bone marrow.
Step-by-step explanation:
Immunotherapy represents a form of cancer treatment that seeks to stimulate the immune system to combat cancer cells. One strategy involves the application of cytokines, which are signal molecules that can enhance the immune response. Specific cytokines involved in this process include:
- Interferons (IFNs - α, β, γ)
- Interleukins (ILs - 1, 2, 12): stimulate immune cells (T-cells) that can target cancer
- Colony-stimulating factors: Stimulate bone marrow (the source of immune cells) to proliferate and differentiate to enhance immune response (increase white blood cells and stem cells)
These therapies may be used in combination with traditional cancer treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy to improve therapeutic responses and are part of broader strategies including cancer vaccines and monoclonal antibodies. Each cytokine plays a distinct role in cancer immunotherapy, contributing to a multifaceted approach to treating the disease.