Theme |
Apheresis |
Title |
Apheresis in cancer treatment |
Author |
Yoshiyuki Yamaguchi |
Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University |
Author |
Tetsuya Toge |
Department of Surgical Oncology, Research Institute for Radiation Biology and Medicine, Hiroshima University |
[ Summary ] |
The current status of apheresis in cancer treatment was reviewed. Plasmapheresis for the removal of immunosuppressor factors was shown to properties which modulate host immune systems resulting in improvement of symptoms associated with cancer, although the anti-tumor effects were minimal. Leucapheresis was introduced for peripheral blood stem cell transfusion and combined with cancer chemotherapy, after colony-stimulating factors became available for clinical use. Apheresis may still be considered in the future of biologic cancer therapy. |