CONCOMITANT IMMUNE THERAPY IN ONCOLOGY PRACTICE

Abstract

Radiation and polychemotherapy significantly affect the immune system of a cancer patient, unabling to adequately respond to infectious agents and provide effective antitumor protection. Rehabilitation of immune disorders is an urgent task, the solution of which will contribute to the generalization of experience when suing the immune modulators in cancer patients. To summarize the existing data on the use of concomitant immune therapy in antitumor treatment, the reports published within 30 years in Pubmed, Cochrane Library, ScienceDirect and the Vernadsky National Library of Ukraine were analyzed. It is expedient to use immune correction at different stages of antitumor treatment in the case of compliance with certain criteria for the prescribing the immune modulatory drugs. Their use is most justified after the primary tumor removal, even in the presence of metastases, because the increase in antitumor resistance is achieved in the absence of tumor cells in the patient's body or their presence in minimal quantities. Possibilities and goals of concomitant immune therapy in cancer patients should be considered taking into account the stage of treatment. Immune modulators with additional properties (detoxification, antioxidant) can serve as universal drugs. In the early post−surgery period, it is advisable to use the drugs, affecting the cells of the mononuclear phagocyte system for the prevention of postoperative infectious complications. During radiation and chemotherapy, preference should be given to the drugs with antitoxic effects and capable of preventing the leukopenia development. Thus, the prescribing of concomitant immune therapy in the combined treatment of cancer patients is an important task, demanding a balanced approach. Key words: immune therapy, immune modulators, quality of life, cancer patients.