One monoclonal antibody drug is called cetuximab, more commonly known as Erbitux. A monoclonal antibody is a human antibody that was made from a clone of an immune cell, but was not naturally produced. They are essentially man-made clones of antibodies that are made to counteract the effects of an autoimmune disorder. Cetuximab is meant to prolong the survival of patients with colorectal cancer that has spread throughout the body as well as head or neck cancer that has spread. The drug can slow the progression and even shrink the tumor size in some patients.
Erbitux is given through an infusion into your veins and binds to a receptor found on all body cells that stimulates growth. This receptor is called the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Erbitux inhibits the signal released telling a tumor cell to grow and instead can bind to an immune cell that can then kill the infected cell. This immune cell could be an NK cell that would deliver cytokines to induce apoptosis in the cancer cell. However, this drug also has many side effects that a possible recipient needs to be aware of. These side effects include:
Physical symptoms:
- Heart attack
- Blemishes on the skin or pimples
- Bloating or swelling of the face or extremities
- Body aches or pain
- Chills
- Congestion
- Cough
- Deep cracks/grooves/lines in the skin
- Wrinkled skin
- Blistering of skin
- Red skin lesions with purple center
- Difficulty breathing
- Trouble, rapid/shallow breathing
- Dizziness
- Fever
- Headache
- Hoarseness
- Lower back or side pain
- Nausea
- Painful, difficult, decreased urination
- Pale skin
- Rapid weight gain
- Runny nose
- Dry skin/mouth
- Mouth swelling
- Cracked lips
- Skin rash
- Swollen neck glands
- Chest tightness
- Tingling of hands/feet
- Trouble swallowing
- Unusual bleeding or bruising
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Unusual weight fluctuations
- Changes in voice
- Stomach ache
- Vomiting
- Belching
- Black, tarry stool
- Diarrhea
- Difficult bowel movements
- Chest pain
- Confusion
- Trouble concentrating
- Fainting/lightheadedness
- Rapid heartbeat
- Sore throat
- Mouth sores
- Sunken eyes
- Eye irritation/itchy eyes
- Eye discharge
- Excessive production of tears
- Swelling of eye/eyelids
- Thirst
- Itching
- Joint/muscle pain
- Neck/back stiffness
- Fingernail/toenail discoloration
- Hair thinning/loss
- Heartburn
- Indigestion
- Loss of appetite
- Weakness
- Pain
- Sleeplessness
Psychological symptoms:
- Anxiety
- Discouragement
- Feeling sad or empty
- Irritability
- Loss of interest or pleasure
If someone has suffered from coronary artery disease or lung disorders, they should not take Erbitux. This is due to the fact that it puts them at an increased risk of developing side effects and those side effects would become more severe. For example, prior lung disorders could make the side effect of difficulty breathing even worse and in turn put the patient at greater risk of death or some other severe consequence. This drug is positively affecting both the adaptive and innate immune systems. The adaptive immune system is being affected due to the antibodies that are being introduced into the body. The innate immune response is being affected because the antibodies will help NK cells (part of the innate immune system) find and destroy cancerous cells.
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