It is a form of treatment that uses the body's natural abilities that constitute the immune system to fight infection and disease or to protect the body from some of the side effects of treatment.
Biological therapy involves the use of living organisms, substances derived from living organisms, or laboratory-produced versions of such substances to treat disease. Some biological therapies for cancer use vaccines or bacteria to stimulate the body’s immune system to act against cancer cells. These types of biological therapy, which are sometimes referred to collectively as “immunotherapy” or “biological response modifier therapy,” do not target cancer cells directly. Other biological therapies, such as antibodies or segments of genetic material (RNA or DNA), do A type of treatment that uses substances made from living organisms to treat disease. These substances may occur naturally in the body or may be made in the laboratory. Some biological therapies stimulate or suppress the immune system to help the body fight cancer, infection, and other diseases. The NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms features 7,848 terms related to cancer and medicine. Browse the dictionary by selecting a letter of the alphabet or by entering a cancer-related word or phrase in the search box. Biological therapy (also called immunotherapy or biotherapy) often employs substances called biological response modifiers (BRMs). The body normally produces low levels of BRMs in response to infection and disease. Etanercept (Enbrel) and infliximab (Remicade) are examples of commercially available injectable TNF-blocking treatments for patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritis. The side effects of biological therapy depend on the type of treatment. How biological therapy works. The goal of biological therapy for cancer is to induce your immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells. Your body's immune system fights invaders, such as germs, throughout your body. Your immune system should also recognize cancer cells as abnormal, but it doesn't always do that. Biological therapy for cancer is used in the treatment of many types of cancer to prevent or slow tumor growth and to prevent the spread of cancer. Forms of biological therapy include monoclonal antibodies, interferon, interleukin-2 (IL-2), and several types of colony-stimulating factors (CSF, GM-CSF, G-CSF). Interleukin-2 and interferon are BRMs being tested for the treatment of advanced malignant melanoma. Interferon is a BRM now in use to treat hepatitis C. Etanercept (Enbrel) and infliximab (Remicade) are examples of commercially available injectable TNF-blocking treatments for patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritis. The side effects of biological therapy depend on the type of treatment. Biological therapy: Treatment to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune (defense) system to fight infection and disease. Etanercept (Enbrel) and infliximab (Remicade) are examples of commercially available injectable TNF-blocking treatments for patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritis. The side effects of biological therapy depend on the type of treatment. Biological therapy for cancer is a type of treatment that uses the body's immune system to kill cancer cells. Biological therapy for cancer is used in the treatment of many types of cancer to prevent or slow tumor growth and to prevent the spread of cancer. Biological therapy for cancer often causes fewer toxic side effects than other cancer treatment 1. Biological therapy (sometimes called immunotherapy, biotherapy, or biological response modifier therapy) is a relatively new addition to the family of cancer treatments that also includes surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. A. 1  Biological therapies use the body's immune system to fight cancer or to lessen the side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments (see Question 1). Treatment of disease by the administration of substances which produce a biological reaction in the organism. It includes the use of sera, antitoxins, vaccines, cells, tissues, and organs. (From Dorland, 28th ed). Treatment to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune system to fight infection and disease. Also used to lessen side effects that may be caused by some cancer treatments. Also known as immunotherapy, biotherapy, or biological response modifier (BRM) therapy. Biological therapy is thus any form of treatment that uses the body's natural abilities that constitute the immune system to fight infection and disease or to protect the body from some of the side effects of treatment. Etanercept (Enbrel) and infliximab (Remicade) are examples of commercially available injectable TNF-blocking treatments for patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis and other forms of inflammatory arthritis. The side effects of biological therapy depend on the type
http://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/treatment/types/immunotherapy/bio-therapies-fact-sheet http://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms?CdrID=45617 http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2465 http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/biological-therapy-for-cancer/basics/definition/PRC-20022365 http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2465 http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2465 http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/biological-therapy-for-cancer/basics/definition/PRC-20022365 http://www.webmd.com/cancer/biological-therapies-cancer-questions-answers http://www.ghr.nlm.nih.gov/glossary=biologicaltherapy http://www.medicinenet.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=2465
biological therapy definition