| Dedication and perseverance are the tools used in | | | | conjugated, for cancer treatments. |
| the last thirty years to develop and approve | | | | A list of approved Mabs is available through the |
| antibodies for cancer prevention. Monoclonal | | | | ACA's web site. In 2004 and in 2006, Bevacizumab, a |
| antibodies, or "Mabs", have been the result of medical | | | | naked antibody, was approved for treating certain |
| researchers' long and laborious hours behind | | | | types of breast cancers. In 2001 the FDA approved |
| microscopes, hoping to perfect the use of these | | | | the use of Alemuzumab, a naked antibody, which |
| cancer-fighting cells for doctors all over the world. | | | | acts as a form of leukemia prevention by attaching |
| What their discoveries have done for cancer patients | | | | itself to both B and T cancer cells, causing the body's |
| is tremendous, especially since the number of | | | | immune system to attack and kill them. In 2000, the |
| individuals within the United States diagnosed with | | | | FDA approved the use of a conjugated antibody, |
| some form of cancer continue to rise each year. By | | | | Gemtuzumab ozogamicin, which is used in the |
| using Mabs, doctors and medical practitioners will have | | | | treatment of chronic leukemia. |
| one more weapon to use against the silent, yet | | | | Each year cancer claims thousands of victims. Findings |
| deadly killer known as cancer. | | | | from the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturer |
| The American Cancer Society's (AMC) web site | | | | of America show that more than 200,000 women will |
| explains that monoclonal antibodies were first | | | | be diagnosed with breast cancer, close to 150,000 |
| developed in laboratories using mice with myeloma | | | | men and women will be diagnosed with colorectal |
| cells, which is a kind of bone marrow cancer, and | | | | cancer and over 30,000 men will die from prostate |
| mice that produced specific antibodies for those cells. | | | | cancer this year. Given these numbers, it is not hard |
| The combination of these two cells, called a | | | | to understand why the use and continual research of |
| hybridoma cell, forces a perpetual factory making | | | | Mabs is critical to our society. |
| antibodies. The antibodies end up being identical | | | | The recent approval of a vaccine used to protect |
| clones of the original hybridoma cell, which is why | | | | women from the Human Papilloma Virus, a known link |
| they are called monoclonal antibodies. | | | | to the development of cervical cancer, demonstrates |
| The problem scientists faced with this phenomenal | | | | that research laboratories are on the brink of helping |
| finding was that human antibodies recognized the | | | | find more antibodies for cancer prevention, providing |
| mouse-produced antibodies as foreign invaders and | | | | hope that the number of cancer patients will begin to |
| attacked them. With hard work and dedication, | | | | decline. |
| scientists are continuing to develop ways to integrate | | | | Success often outweighs the failures that scientists |
| human antibodies in lieu of mouse antibodies so | | | | and pharmaceutical researchers experience when |
| cancer patients will be able to use the | | | | trying to successfully find treatments for cancer and |
| immunotherapy as a form of treatment. | | | | other deadly diseases. The triumphs experienced |
| Today there are two types of Mabs, naked and | | | | within the last several decades have come in the |
| conjugated. The difference between these two lies in | | | | form of antibodies for cancer prevention. The Mabs |
| the fact that naked antibodies lack radioactive | | | | that have received approval by the FDA are now |
| materials attached to them. Conjugated antibodies, | | | | being used in the healing of cancer patients all over |
| on the other hand, are fused with a chemotherapy | | | | the world. As time goes by, these treatments will be |
| drug or other toxin used to fight off cancer cells. In | | | | further developed and perfected, helping lead the |
| recent years the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | | | | way in cancer protection and treatment for |
| has approved several Mabs, both naked and | | | | generations to come. |