Dendritic cells (DCs) are immune cells in the body that are responsible for the presentation of foreign antigens to T lymphocytes. Once the T cells are exposed to the antigen, they attack the tumor and destroy it. Tumor tissue inhibits DC maturation, one of the mechanisms by which cancer evades a full-fledged immune response. Dendritic cell immunotherapy for cancer partially solves this problem. It forces the patient’s immune system to attack the tumor more actively, not only in the place of primary localization but throughout the body, also affecting distant metastases. You can travel abroad to benefit from this cancer treatment. Please see the dendritic cell cancer treatment cost on the Booking Health website.
Areas of application of dendritic cells
Dendritic cell treatment is a new and promising area of medicine that is under development. So far, it is not included in standard cancer treatment regimens, with the exception of one drug that is used to treat the advanced stage of prostate cancer.
Other dendritic cell-based drugs are still in clinical trials. Good results have already been obtained in the treatment of metastatic melanomas, follicular lymphomas, glioblastomas, and breast, liver, and stomach cancer. Doctors have carried out more than two hundred clinical trials examining the efficacy of dendritic cell vaccines for dozens of cancers. Currently, hundreds of trials are ongoing, and their results will be published in the coming years.
The principle of cancer treatment with dendritic cells
DCs are used to increase the efficiency of the immune response. The patient’s own DCs are used for treatment. They are collected from the blood and then activated in the laboratory. For example, in the case of a prostate cancer drug called Sipuleucel-T, dendritic cell activation is carried out by prostate acid phosphatase.
Upon activation, DCs carry information about the antigen to be attacked by the immune system. They are returned to the body. DCs show antigens to T cells, and they attack the tumor. The result is a slowdown in the progression of the disease and an increase in the patient’s life expectancy.
Dendritic cell-based drugs cannot be bought at a pharmacy and used in any hospital. The preparation for immunotherapy is made individually for each patient from their own blood. Cancer treatment with dendritic cells requires special equipment and trained personnel.
Dendritic cell therapy is a systemic treatment. DCs are used in the advanced stages of cancer when other methods of disease control are ineffective or in combination with them. Clinical trials show that dendritic cell vaccines work well with other cancer immunotherapy options, such as immune checkpoint inhibitors.
You can undergo your diagnostics and treatment for cancer abroad with the help of modern types of immunotherapy. You are welcome to visit the Booking Health website. On our website, you can find the best clinics in Germany, prices for various treatment options, compare the cost of medical services at different hospitals, and choose a medical care program. The Booking Health specialists will help you select a clinic that uses dendritic cells for cancer treatment, make an appointment on the most convenient dates for you, and arrange your trip. When you make an appointment through Booking Health, the cost of treatment will be lower than if you contact the clinic directly, due to the absence of additional taxes for foreign patients.