[Experimental research to clinical application of interferons].
The reports on the clinical application of interferon (IFN) have been increasing because human IFN can be produced on a large scale. However, the therapy of viral diseases and malignant tumors by IFN alone is limited from the data obtained so far. The combination of IFN therapy with other therapies should be considered. In this article, the fundamental studies on the combined therapy of IFN and other agents will be reviewed. As for the combined therapy of IFN and chemotherapeutic agents, the synergic or additive effect is recognized unless IFN and chemotherapeutic agent exist in the body at the same time. The combined therapy of IFN and radiation is effective when the tumor has been irradiated before the administration of IFN. The efficacy of the combined therapy of IFN and immunomodulators is confirmed in mouse experiment. The development of tumor transplanted into the mice is highly inhibited when IFN-alpha or beta and gamma are combined. At present, there is few reports about the combination therapy in the clinical application of IFN, although the data on the combination therapy are increasing in the animal experiments. The issues about the combination therapy will become important in the near future.
D000818:Animals; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000008:administration & dosage; D003561:Cytarabine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D007369:Interferon Inducers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007370:Interferon Type I / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007372:Interferons / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000628:therapy; D008545:Melanoma / Q000628:therapy; D051379:Mice; D016685:Mitomycin; D008937:Mitomycins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy; D009374:Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000628:therapy*
D007369:Interferon Inducers; D007370:Interferon Type I; D008937:Mitomycins; D003561:Cytarabine; D001761:Bleomycin; D016685:Mitomycin; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D007372:Interferons