What are cytokines, and can they be used to treat melanoma?

Immunotherapy is the use of medicines to stimulate a person's own immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells more effectively. Several types of immunotherapy can be used to treat melanoma. Immune checkpoint inhibitors. read more

Cytokines (interferon-alfa and interleukin-2) Cytokines are proteins in the body that boost the immune system in a general way. Man-made versions of cytokines, such as interferon-alfa and interleukin-2 (IL-2), are sometimes used in patients with melanoma. They are given as intravenous (IV) infusions, at least at first. read more

How they are used: Immune checkpoint inhibitors are approved to treat a variety of cancer types, including skin cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, bladder cancer, head and neck cancer, liver cancer, Hodgkin lymphoma, renal cell cancer (a type of kidney cancer), and stomach cancer. read more

Cytokines may stimulate the rapid growth of immune cells, and if left unchecked, they often produce severe side effects, such as depression, flu-like symptoms and profound fatigue. They have been approved to treat circulatory cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma, melanoma and bladder and kidney cancers. read more