Word: ils
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Dates: during 1980-1989
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Interleukin-2 has shown promising results in treating advanced skin and kidney cancers. In fact, says Gutterman, there appears to be "tremendous synergy" between alpha interferon and IL-2 in attacking cancer cells. While IL-2 works to make the killer cells more potent, he explains, they "have to recognize something unique on the surface of the cancer cell in order to kill it." That something is an antigen, and interferon seems to make it more "visible" to the killer cells...
...promising approach is the use of interleukin-2, one of the proteins called lymphokines, which are produced by the immune system. IL-2 is now being administered in various ways to stimulate the white blood cells that attack tumors. Expensive -- upwards of $80,000 for one course of treatment -- and dangerous, IL-2 is usually reserved for patients with advanced cancer. Amy Hance, 25, of Bloomington, Ill., reached that stage early this year. Melanoma, a deadly skin cancer, had spread to her liver, spleen, stomach and lungs. The determined Hance opted for experimental IL-2 therapy, even though side effects...
...University of Chicago's Billings Hospital, her blood was run through a machine to separate out white cells, which were incubated for several days in IL-2 to turn them into LAKs, or lymphokine-activated killer cells. The cells were then dripped back into a vein, along with IL-2. Her temperature shot up, and severe nausea set in. "I never think of the symptoms as bad, because I know there's this big fight going on in there," says Hance. Her bold gamble paid off: after 4 1/2 weeks of treatment, her tumors had shrunk...
...IL-2 appears to stimulate certain immature white cells to mature into killer cells that destroy cancer. Since 1984, when the treatment was developed by Dr. Steven Rosenberg of the National Cancer Institute, more than 400 Americans have received it. Though there have been some spectacular successes, IL-2 is clearly no cure for cancer. Five percent to 10% of patients experience complete remission, and more have partial ones. But the majority reap no benefit at all. Given the expense and the risks, the treatment has come in for some sharp criticism. Even so, University of Pennsylvania Oncologist Kevin...
...called TILs, for tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. In tests on mice, he notes, these cells appear "50 to 100 times more potent than LAK." TILs are actually killer T cells that, like LAK cells, can attack cancer cells. To produce them, researchers expose malignant cells removed from the patient to IL-2. The tissue includes killer T cells that have launched a weak attack; with a sharp boost from the IL-2, they replicate and proceed to destroy the cancer. A month later, the newly potent T cells, vastly increased in number, are then infused into the patient, followed by additional...