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| Recently, there has been a significant increase in vaccine research. Scientists are trying to create specific vaccines for particular cancers and have already had some success in developing a vaccine to treat B-cell lymphoma. I'm sure research will continue in this area, although I am not very optimistic about major breakthroughs. |
| Cellular immunity, on the other hand, is the part of the immune system that is primarily responsible for the destruction of infected cells and tumor cells. Cellular immunity is made up of three broad categories of white blood cells: macrophages, natural killer (NK) cells, and T-cells. Many of the symptoms we feel when getting sicklike achiness and feverare caused by activation of the immune system and not by the infection itself. This is why it is important to work with these symptoms and not suppress them. Cellular immunity relies on T-lymphocytes to activate the immune system. T-cells are made up of T-helper cells (also called CD-4 cells) and cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (also called T-suppressor cells and CD-8 cells). T-helper cells help and/or orchestrate the immune system. They help recognize the antigen and then bind it to the macrophage. They also make decisions about what type of immune response is appropriate. |
| The second group of T-cells, the CD-8 cells, destroy target cells and are responsible for down-regulating or suppressing an immune response. They turn off an activated immune system after it has finished its work in fighting an infection. Many people with AIDS who have a high level of CD-8 cells appear to live free of infections even when, overall, their T-cell count is low. |
| NK Cells, Granulocytes, and Cytokines |
| One form of white blood cells, natural killer (NK)-cells, are a class of trained assassins that bind to a target on a cell's surface and secrete cytotoxic substances that can destroy pathogens, such as viruses, as well as tumor cells. NK cells also help to form an antibody response by creating a cell-surface receptor. NK cells present the first line of defense against metastatic spread of tumors, so modulation of NK cells is crucial to cancer inhibition. |
| Another group of white blood cells, granulocytes, are made up of three particular cells called neutrophils, eosinophils, and basophils. Neutrophils are in charge of responding to a bacterial infection. Many people who are on chemotherapy develop neutropenia (low neutrophil count), which makes |
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