WHAT IS INTERFERON, HOW DOES IT WORK?
Interferon’s are substances made by cells. They act by enhancing the immune functions of lymphocytes against viruses and some tumor cells. The interferon used for treatment of CML is a synthetic alpha-interferon. There is no doubt that this agent has a powerful effect against CML tumor cells, but the mechanisms by which this takes place are unknown. Some believe that it works by enhancing an existing immune response against malignant cells, but another possibility is that it interferes with transcription (the process whereby nucleic acids make each other and proteins).
