Essay --

Interferon alpha (IFN-ÃŽ ±) is a cytokine released during viral infection. (Rizza, Moretti, & Belardelli, 2010, p. 204) One of its major implications is its ability to enhance the innate and adaptive immune response which is why many patients develop flu like symptoms (Rizza et al., 2010, p. 205). Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) patients are given IFN-ÃŽ ± because of its ability to increase the functional activity of T cells, macrophages, and natural killer cells, promote apoptosis and suppress both angiogenesis and proliferation (Kiladjian, Mesa, & Hoffman, 2011, pp. 4707-4708). IFN-ÃŽ ± is short term because of the symptoms and complications that arise, which are harmful to the body causing patients to cease treatment. This is due to the immune response which can be beneficial in that it provides antitumour immunity but also harmful since it can mediate an autoimmune response (Rizza et al., 2010, p. 205). IFN-ÃŽ ± acts as a signal for the differentiation of monocytes into highly active specialized dendritic cells which take up and present antigens from apoptotic cells which can be caused by...