IMMUNOLOGIC THERAPIES SIDE EFFECTS
Category: Infectious Diseases
Abstract : Side effects Aldesleukin Aldesleukin may cause serious side effects. It
is ordinarily given only in a hospital, where medical professionals can watch
for early signs of problems. Medical tests may be performed to check for
unwanted side effects. In general, anyone who has breathing problems, fever or
chills while being given aldesleukin should consult their doctor at once.
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Side effects
Aldesleukin
Aldesleukin may cause serious side effects. It
is ordinarily given only in a hospital, where medical professionals can watch
for early signs of problems. Medical tests may be performed to check for
unwanted side effects. In general, anyone who has breathing problems, fever or
chills while being given aldesleukin should consult their doctor at once.
Other side effects should be brought to a physician’s attention as soon
as possible:
• dizziness
• drowsiness
• confusion
• agitation
• depression
• nausea and vomiting
• diarrhea
• sores in the
mouth and on the lips
• tingling of hands or feet
• decrease in
urination
• unexplained weight gain of five or more pounds (2 or more
kilograms)
Some side effects of aldesleukin are usually temporary and do
not need medical attention unless they are bothersome. These include dry skin,
itchy or burning rash or redness followed by peeling, loss of appetite, and a
general feeling of illness or discomfort.
Colony stimulating factors
Patients sometimes experience mild pain in the lower back or hips in the
first few days of treatment with colony stimulating factors. This side effect is
not a cause for concern, and usually goes away within a few days. If the pain is
intense or causes discomfort, the physician may prescribe a painkiller.
Other possible side effects include headache, joint or muscle pain, and
skin rash or itching. These side effects tend to disappear as the body adjusts
to the medicine, and do not need medical treatment. If they continue, or if they
interfere with normal activities, the patient should consult their physician.
Epoetin
Epoetin may cause such flu-like symptoms as muscle aches,
bone pain, fever, chills, shivering, and sweating within a few hours after it is
taken. These symptoms usually go away within 12 hours. If they persist or are
severe, the patient should call their doctor. Other possible side effects of
epoetin that do not need medical attention are diarrhea, nausea or vomiting, and
fatigue or weakness.
Other side effects, however, should be brought to a
physician’s attention as soon as possible. These include headache; vision
problems; a rise in blood pressure; fast heartbeat; weight gain; or swelling of
the face, fingers, lower legs, ankles, or feet. Anyone who has chest pain or
seizures after taking epoetin should seek professional emergency medical
attention immediately.
Interferons
Interferons may cause temporary
hair loss (alopecia). Although this side effect may be upsetting because it
affects the patient’s appearance, it is not a sign that something is seriously
wrong. The hair should grow back normally after treatment ends.
As the
body adjusts to these medications, the patient may experience other side effects
that usually go away during treatment. These include flu-like symptoms,
alterations in the sense of taste, loss of appetite (anorexia), nausea and
vomiting, skin rashes, and unusual fatigue.
The patient should consult a
doctor if these problems persist or if they interfere with normal life. Other
side effects are more serious and should be brought to a physician’s attention
as soon as possible:
• confusion
• difficulty thinking or concentrating
• nervousness
• depression
• sleep problems
• numbness or
tingling in the fingers, toes, and face
General precautions regarding
side effects for all types of immunologic therapy
Other side effects are
possible with any type of immunologic therapy. Anyone who has unusual symptoms
during or after treatment with these drugs should contact the physician
immediately.
Interactions
Anyone who has immunologic therapy should
give their physician a list of all other medications that they take, including
over-the-counter and herbal preparations. Some combinations of drugs may
increase or decrease the effects of one or both drugs, or increase the
likelihood of side effects.
Alternatives
Immunoprevention
Immunoprevention is a form of treatment that has been proposed as a form of
cancer therapy. There are two types of immunoprevention, active and passive.
Treatment that involves such immune molecules as cytokines, which are prepared
synthetically, or other immune molecules that are not produced by patients
themselves are called passive immunotherapy. By contrast, vaccines are a form of
active immune therapy because they elicit an immune response from the patient’s
body. Cancer vaccines may be made of whole tumor cells or from substances or
fragments from the tumor known as antigens.
Adoptive immunotherapy
Adoptive immunotherapy involves stimulating T lymphocytes by exposing them
to tumor antigens. These modified cells are grown in the laboratory and then
injected into patients. Since the cells taken from a different person for this
purpose are often rejected, patients serve both as donor and recipient of their
own T cells. Adoptive immunotherapy is particularly effective in patients who
have received massive doses of radiation and chemotherapy. In such patients,
therapy results in immunosuppression (weakened immune systems), making them
vulnerable to viral infections. For example, CMVspecific T cells can reduce the
risk of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection in organ transplant patients.
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