La vacuna
julio 19, 2010 por Yajaira Freites
Publicado en Actualidad, Biología, Blog AsoVAC, Ciencia, Política y Sociedad, Dossier Jacinto Convit, Opinión, Salud y biomedicina
Rafael Rangel-Aldao
No hay vacuna alguna que cure el cáncer. Sí es posible evitar la aparición del cáncer del hígado y el del cuello uterino, respectivamente, con las vacunas contra el virus de la hepatitis-B, y la del papiloma humano(http://www.cancer.gov/espanol/hojasinformativas/vacunas).
El público debe estar alerta ante al menos tres aspectos clave de una vacuna contra el cáncer. El primero es el requisito indispensable de ensayos de eficacia y seguridad en animales de experimentación, publicados en revistas especializadas y, sobre todo, comprobados por científicos independientes. A esos estudios le siguen cuatro fases progresivas de pruebas en humanos, debidamente informados y clínicamente atendidos bajo condiciones universalmente aceptadas, hasta demostrar cómo la vacuna es realmente efectiva y sin perjuicio al paciente, primum non nocere (lo primero es no hacer daño).
El segundo aspecto es que los tumores cancerosos son heterogéneos, están formados por poblaciones de células diferentes entre sí, de tal suerte que la “vacuna” tiene que ser múltiple, contra todas esas micro variaciones del cáncer.
El tercer factor puede ser desconcertante, y es que se ha demostrado que la intervención temprana contra el cáncer de próstata, por ejemplo, no baja la mortalidad(http://www.cancer.gov/newscenter/pressreleases/PLCOProstateResults). De repente, intervenir ciertos tumores a destiempo puede ser contraproducente. Esto se comprobará con el tiempo. En Venezuela, por tanto, el solo pensar que se requiera una intervención previa para tomar muestras de tumores para una “autovacuna” contra el cáncer, da escalofríos sobre las consecuencias que esto pueda tener en una población falsamente esperanzada.
Es necesario que los autores divulguen las bases científicas y médicas de tal vacuna, y queda a los organismos de salud aclarar esta insostenible situación. Así lo piden otros colegas, especialistas del IVIC, y de la Academia de Medicina.
El Universal, 17 de julio de 2010
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PROVENGE® (sipuleucel-T) Is Now FDA Approved
PROVENGE is an autologous cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate resistant (hormone refractory) prostate cancer.
PROVENGE is made using cells from a patient’s own immune system, so it cannot be warehoused like many other drugs and requires specialized manufacturing facilities.
Within the first year of FDA approval, Dendreon anticipates being able to manufacture PROVENGE to support the treatment of about 2,000 patients. At launch, treatment will be available through approximately 50 centers across the country previously approved as clinical trial sites. As our manufacturing capacity increases over the next 12 months, PROVENGE will become more broadly available.
How It Works
PROVENGE (PROH-venj) is designed to stimulate a patient’s immune system to target prostate cancer cells. The process of making PROVENGE involves the introduction of a patient’s immune cells to a protein that functions as a prostate cancer-associated antigen. An antigen is a substance that causes the body to react with an immune response. This process activates the patient’s immune cells against prostate cancer cells to help the immune system better fight the disease.
To learn more about PROVENGE, visit http://www.PROVENGE.com.
Indication and Important Safety Information
PROVENGE (sipuleucel-T) is approved by the FDA as an autologous cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of asymptomatic or minimally symptomatic metastatic castrate resistant (hormone refractory) prostate cancer.
PROVENGE is made from your own immune cells. Your cells will be collected at a cell collection center approximately 3 days before each scheduled infusion of PROVENGE. There can be risks associated with the cell collection process, which you should discuss with your doctor before deciding to begin treatment with PROVENGE.
PROVENGE can cause serious reactions. In controlled clinical trials for the treatment of prostate cancer, serious reactions reported in patients in the PROVENGE group include reactions resulting from the infusion of the drug, which occurred within 1 day of infusion, and strokes. Severe infusion reactions included chills, fever, fatigue, weakness, breathing problems (shortness of breath, decreased oxygen level, and wheezing), dizziness, headache, high blood pressure, muscle ache, nausea, and vomiting. Tell your doctor right away if you have breathing problems, chest pains, racing heart or irregular heartbeats, dizziness, nausea, or vomiting after getting PROVENGE because any of these may be signs of heart or lung problems.
The most common side effects reported with PROVENGE are chills, fatigue, fever, back pain, nausea, joint ache, and headache. These are not all the possible side effects of PROVENGE treatment. For more information, talk with your doctor.
Tell your doctor about all your medical problems including heart problems, lung problems or a history of stroke.
Tell your doctor right away if you get a fever over 100°F, or redness at the cell collection or infusion sites, because any of these may be signs of infection.
Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription drugs, vitamins, and dietary supplements.
Tell your doctor about any side effect that concerns you or does not go away.
SON TODOS UNOS ERUDITOS, POR ESO QUE VENENEZUELA ESTA COMO ESTA