Monoclonal Antibodies in Cancer treatment

One way the immune system attacks foreign substances in the body is by making large numbers of antibodies. An antibody is a protein that sticks to a specific protein called an antigen. Antibodies circulate throughout the body until they find and attach to the antigen. Once attached, they can recruit other parts of the immune system to destroy the cells containing the antigen. Researchers design antibodies that specifically target a certain antigen, such as one found on cancer cells. They can then make many copies of that antibody in the lab. These are known as monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). These monoclonal antibodies are used to treat many diseases, including some types of cancer. To make a monoclonal antibody, researchers first have to identify the right antigen to attack. Over the past couple of decades, the US FDA has approved more than a dozen mAbs to treat certain cancers. As researchers have found more antigens linked to cancer, they have been able to make mAbs against more and more cancers. Clinical trials of newer mAbs are being done on many types of cancer.

Types of mAbs used in Cancer treatment:

• Naked monoclonal antibodies
• Conjugated monoclonal antibodies
• Bispecific monoclonal antibodies

Side effects of mAbs:

• Fever
• Chills
• Weakness
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Low blood pressure
• Rashes

Compared with chemotherapy drugs, naked mAbs tend to have fewer serious side effects. But they can still cause problems in some people. Some mAbs can have side effects that are related to the antigens they target. Conjugated antibodies can be more powerful than naked mAbs, but they can also cause more side effects. The side effects depend on which type of substance they’re attached to. One of the major problems with the use of mAb treatment is that cancer cells are constantly mutating which often leads to resistance or complete lack of responsiveness to targeted therapy. 

For more details, do visit: https://hematology.cmesociety.com/call-for-abstracts
Source: https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/immunotherapy/monoclonal-antibodies.html | http://ar.iiarjournals.org/content/37/11/5935.full