Biochemical Signatures of Immunotherapy
Biochemical signatures provide crucial warning signs from your body, indicating potential health issues and helping guide treatment decisions. Let’s explore the implications of biochemical signatures in medical treatment, focusing on their role in immunotherapy, a specialized approach to cancer treatment.
Understanding Biomarkers and Biochemical Signatures
Biomarkers are “characteristics that can be objectively measured and used as an indicator of normal biological processes, disease processes, or pharmacologic responses to a therapy.” These can range from simple measurements like blood pressure, weight or heart rate to more complex indicators like genetic markers.
Biochemical signatures are a specific type of biomarker, made of distinct chemical patterns that tell a story, much like a unique fingerprint. This more complex level of biomarkers can yield more detailed information regarding the potential presence of disease. Biochemical signature examples include:
- Proteins
- Carbohydrates
- Fats
- Enzymes
- Hormones
Ways to Evaluate Biochemical Signatures
Many routine tests reveal biochemical signatures. You’ve likely undergone these tests during your annual physical exam, as they offer broad insights into your overall health. These tests include:
- Basic Metabolic Panel (BMP)
- Complete Blood Count (CBC)
- Comprehensive Metabolic Panel (CMP)
- Lipids Panel
What Biochemical Signatures Can Tell Us
Biochemical signatures help identify the presence of a disease, assess a patient’s risk for developing certain diseases, predict treatment response and estimate the likelihood of disease occurrence.
CBC and CMP, for example, provide strong indicators of possible cancer. CBC measures the amount of red and white blood cells in the blood, while CMP can detect high levels of protein associated with some types of cancer.
Biochemical Signatures in Immunotherapy
Biochemical signatures help doctors determine the appropriate type of immunotherapy for each patient. While various forms exist, all immunotherapy treatments share a common goal: directing the patient’s immune system to fight cancer. Immunotherapy options include:
- Cancer-killing viruses
- Vaccines
- Immunotherapy drugs
- Checkpoint inhibitors
- CAR T-cell therapy
- Monoclonal antibodies
- Cytokines
- Immunomodulators
The Fight Against Disease Starts With Education
The University of Mississippi Medical Center’s online Molecular Medicine Graduate Certificate is an intensive Program focused on understanding the molecular causes of disease. This goal is essential for developing targeted, individualized and more effective treatments.
Our Program features courses such as Molecular Biology of the Cell, which explores:
- the role of the cell cycle in cancer development.
- treatments for different types of cancer.
- related topics in molecular medicine.
This comprehensive education prepares you for diverse career opportunities, including roles in clinical and higher education settings. It can also help you:
- Secure admission into health-profession schools or advanced degree programs.
- Enjoy new advancement opportunities in your current science- or medicine-based career.
What to Expect From UMMC’s Online Graduate Certificate Program
Our online Graduate Certificate Program requires no campus or lab visits and offers numerous benefits:
- Inclusive GPA requirements
- Affordable tuition
- Asynchronous courses with 24/7, worldwide access
- Tutoring and personalized support
- Small class sizes
- Continuous communication with UMMC
- Customizable studies:
- Take 11 to 22 total credits based on your goals and interests.
- Full credit load recommended for health-profession school applicants.
- A respected professional credential you can earn in as little as two semesters
Sources:
https://www.cancer.org/cancer/managing-cancer/treatment-types/immunotherapy.html https://www.cancerresearch.org/biomarkers-in-cancer-immunotherapy
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/11582-immunotherapy
