Severe Reactions in Cancer Treatment, Harmful Brain Effects of Interferons

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Harmful Brain Effects of Interferons

 

 

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Dr. Mercola's Comment:

Dr. Russell Blaylock, a board-certified neurosurgeon and

author of the highly recommended books Health and Nutrition Secrets That Can Save your Life

and Natural Strategies for Cancer Patients,

contributed this outstanding article about interferons, which are used

widely for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS), hepatitis, cancer

and more. If you, or someone you know, are taking these drugs, this

article will help you decide if the benefits outweigh the many risks.

 

By

Russell L. Blaylock, M.D.

http://www.russellblaylockmd.com/

 

Interferons are used in clinical medicine for a number of

medical conditions including:

 

A wide range of cancers

Chronic hepatitis

Multiple sclerosis

Chronic granulomatous disease

AIDS-related disorders

 

Rarely considered are the effects of large doses of this

immune cytokine on brain function. For example, the conventional

treatment of chronic hepatitis is interferon-alpha-2b. Despite poor

results in controlling the disease and the existence of safer, more

effective natural treatments, physicians continue to use this toxic

treatment. Of major concern are the neurologic effects of the treatment.

Acute Problems

It is known that interferons have two patterns of injury to

the brain. One is acute and occurs within hours of treatment, often

lasting for the first one to three weeks of the treatment. This usually

includes fever, chills, headache and fatigue.

Chronic Problems

This is followed by a chronic phase in which more serious

injuries to the nervous system result. Chronic symptoms can include

malaise, lethargy, somnolence, headaches, low-grade fevers, anorexia

(loss of appetite) and more serious symptoms such as psychomotor

symptoms, cognitive problems, psychiatric behaviors and even delirium

and coma.

Brain Toxicity

The severity of symptoms depends on the dose of the interferon

and manner of administering the medication. Continuous infusion of

high-dose interferons is associated with more severe neurologic

problems. It is known that chronic brain toxicities occur at all doses

but more so after doses higher than 18 million to 20 million units a

day. Most common is severe fatigue.

Even lower doses have been associated with a lack of drive and

disinterest in participating in normal activities, a process called

psychomotor retardation. This occurs in anywhere from 47 percent to 80

percent of patients. Changes in the ability to think clearly (cognitive

changes) are frequently seen in patients treated with as little as 9

million units of interferon per week. The difficulty with thinking

reaches a peak at one to three months. This can include a decreased

attention span, difficulty concentrating, defective short-term memory

and mental clouding.

Studies have described frequent periods of silence and vacant

staring, occurring even in mid-sentence. Objective testing for recall

and cognitive function have shown an incidence of 17 percent to 50

percent in patients receiving standard doses of interferons. Most of

these cognitive difficulties do improve, yet there are reports of

persistent impairments lasting up to two years following cessation of

treatment.

In some patients the effect is so severe on the brain that

patients sleep up to 20 hours a day and during waking periods

experience disorientation and confusion. Speech difficulties

(expressive dysphasia) and problems with balance have also been

reported. On rare instances, these neurological effects have progressed

to a demented state. Hallucinations have also been reported.

It is important to appreciate that the patients in the first

two categories to be described had no previous psychiatric history.

Renault and co-workers, who examined many of these patients, divided

the neurobehavioral effects into three syndromes: organic personality

syndrome, organic affective syndrome and delirium effects. Patients

with organic personality syndrome frequently experience uncontrollable

overreaction to minor frustrations, are very irritable and have a short

temper.

Depression Common

Those with the organic affective syndrome often describe

feelings of depression and hopelessness. They cry easily and have

difficulty interacting socially with others. Patients experiencing

delirium have a clouding of their thinking, have short-term memory

problems and have frequent mood changes. Many become severely agitated,

abusive, withdrawn and may exhibit suicidal thoughts, delusions of

being persecuted and phobias. Patients having delirium symptoms often

had co-existing liver disease, history of psychiatric disorder or

previous brain injury.

Severe Reactions in Cancer Treatment

The most severe effects have been seen in patients treated for

cancers. In these patients death due to encephalopathy (widespread

brain injury) and associated seizures have been described. This may be

a result of combined toxicities of radiation, chemotherapy and

interferon.

Interferon-gamma is less toxic than the alpha or

beta-interferons. With higher doses one can see chronic

neurotoxicities, which can include dizziness, slowed thinking,

confusion, crying spells, and even symptoms resembling Parkinson's

disease.

How Interferon Ruins Your Brain

The mechanism of this injury to the brain appears to involve

the brain's special immune cell called the microglia. Normally, these

cells remain dormant in the brain. That is, they are sleeping.

Microglia cells can be activated by numerous factors, including

mercury, aluminum, iron, overvaccination, and brain trauma, strokes,

infections (viruses, bacteria, rickettsia) and cytokines such as

interferons.

Once activated, microglia can move about the brain secreting

very toxic compounds, which include two excitotoxins (glutamate and

quinolinic acid). These excitotoxins dramatically increase free radical

generation in the brain as well as oxidation of lipids (called lipid

peroxidation). These radicals damage synaptic connections, interfere

with neurotransmitters and can even kill neurons. In addition, these

activated microglia generate other toxic compounds such as

prostaglandins (PGE2), which increase brain inflammation.

If the microglia activation is short lived, the damage to the

brain is minimal and recovery takes place. Yet, should the activation

continue, which would occur with high-dose and long-term use of

interferons, the damage could be substantial and irreversible.

Protecting the brain with high-dose and varied antioxidants as well as

certain metabolic stimulants can substantially reduce this damage.

Certain nutrients, such as malate, pyruvate, DHA, ascorbate, magnesium

and methylcobalamin inhibit excitotoxicity.

Physicians Frequently Miss Side

Effects

Physicians often ignore patient complaints of neurological

difficulties during interferon treatments, assuming they are benign and

reversible. As stated in the beginning, natural alternatives have been

shown to be much more effective and dramatically safer than interferon

treatments.

 

Related Articles:

 

MS

Drugs 'a Waste of Money'

Hepatitis

Drug Interferon Linked to Depression

Amazing

Recovery From Multiple Sclerosis

Is

Glutamine Supplementation Helpful or Harmful?

Is it

Hepatitis C or Iron Toxicity?

Modified

Interferon Reported to be Effective Against Hepatitis C

 

 

References:

 

Turowski

RC, Triozzi PL. Central Nervous System Toxicities of Cytokine Therapy.

In, Plotnikoff NP, et al (eds): Cytokines: Stress and Immunity. CRC

Press, Boca Raton,1998. pp 93-114.

Adams

F, et al. Neuropsychiatric manifestations of human leukocyte interferon

therapy in patients with cancer. JAMA 252: 938, 1984.

Iaffaiolo

RV, et al. Neurotxic effects of long-term treatment with low-dose ab

interferon. Current Therapy Research 48: 403, 1990.

Meyers

CA, et al. Persistent neurotoxicity of systemically administered

interferon-a Neurology 41: 672, 1991.

Renault

PF, et al. Psychiatrc complications of long-term interferon-a therapy.

Arch Internal Medicine 147: 1577, 1987.

Kurzock

R, et al. Phase I study if IV administrated recombinant g interferon in

cancer patients. Cancer Treatment Reports 70: 1357, 1986.

Blaylock

RL. Chronic Microglial activation and excitotoxicity secondary to

excessive immune stimulation: Possible factors in Gulf War Syndrome and

autism. Journal of American Physicians and Surgeons. 9: 46-51, 2004.

 

 

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