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Biotherapy is immunotherapy that includes what types of drugs?

User DLS
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Final answer:

Biotherapy or immunotherapy includes drugs like cytokines, vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies, which encourage the immune system to fight cancer. These can be used alone or with other treatments to enhance anticancer responses.

Step-by-step explanation:

Biotherapy, also known as immunotherapy, includes drugs that help the immune system fight cancer. These drugs can come in various forms and include a range of treatments. Some types of drugs used in biotherapy are:

Vaccines designed to provoke an immune response against specific cancer antigens; these can be made from dead or weakened forms of microbes or newer forms made from surface proteins and DNA of immunogenic cells.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAb) that target specific antigens on cancer cells with mechanisms that block molecular functions, trigger cell death, or enhance immune cells' ability to phagocytize targeted cells.

These therapies may be used alone or in combination with other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation to improve anticancer responses. With the progression of nanotechnology, there is an ongoing research on delivering these immunotherapies more effectively using nanoparticles.

User CarlJ
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Final answer:

Biotherapy immunotherapy includes drugs like interferons, interleukins, therapeutic vaccines, and monoclonal antibodies, which enhance the immune system's response to cancer. These drugs can be delivered using nanotechnology or alongside chemotherapy, and represent personalized medicine approaches to cancer treatment.

Step-by-step explanation:

Biotherapy in Immunotherapy

Biotherapy is a form of immunotherapy that comprises various drugs aimed at enhancing the immune system's ability to combat cancer. The types of drugs used in this approach include interferons, interleukins (ILs), and therapeutic vaccines that help stimulate or augment the immune response. Moreover, the application of monoclonal antibodies (mAb) is a critical aspect of immunotherapy, employing mechanisms like blocking the function of targeted molecules, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity, and promoting apoptosis or phagocytosis of cancer cells.

In recent developments, these drugs are sometimes encapsulated in nanoparticles to target cancer cells more effectively and to activate various immunological pathways. Additionally, some treatments involve the co-delivery of chemotherapeutic agents for a more integrated cancer management strategy.

Immunotherapy's goal is to boost anticancer responses potentially insufficient in naturally occurring immune defenses against rapidly dividing cancer cells. It can be used alone or in conjunction with other treatments such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy, sometimes representing personalized medicine tailored to the individual patient's cancer characteristics.

User Whenov
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