My Pharmacy Revised – The Wellness Way to Natural Health

  Over the past decade, checkpoint inhibitors (or immune checkpoint inhibitors) have revolutionized the field of oncology and immunotherapy. What was once considered a niche experimental strategy is now part of standard-of-care for many cancer types. These therapies harness the body's own immune system to attack tumor cells, essentially removing the "brakes" on immune responses. In this post, we will explore how checkpoint inhibitors work, the molecular targets (PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA-4, LAG-3, etc.), approved drugs, clinical indications, resistance mechanisms, side effects, biomarkers and predictive factors, combination strategies, and future directions. Along the way, I’ll weave in key SEO keywords like “checkpoint inhibitor therapy,” “immune checkpoint drugs,” “cancer immunotherapy,” “immune-related adverse events,” and “resistance to immunotherapy,” as well as LSI phrases like “immune modulation,” “tumor microenvironment,” “immune evasion,” “biomarker profiling,” and “immu...

  Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are laboratory-made proteins that mimic the immune system's ability to fight off harmful pathogens such as viruses and bacteria. They are engineered to bind to a specific target (antigen) —which could be a protein on the surface of a cell, virus, or toxin—with high precision. ✅ Definition Monoclonal antibodies are identical antibodies produced by a single clone of B cells. Unlike natural (polyclonal) antibodies, which recognize multiple parts of an antigen, mAbs recognize one specific epitope of a target antigen. ✅ How They're Made Monoclonal antibodies are typically produced using: Hybridoma technology : Fusing a B-cell that produces a desired antibody with a myeloma (cancer) cell that can grow indefinitely. Recombinant DNA technology : Cloning human or animal antibody genes and expressing them in cultured mammalian cells. ✅ Main Features Specificity : Binds to a single target with high affinity. Uniformity : All molecules are gene...

*Introduction - Leukemia, a type of blood cancer, has long evoked fear and confusion due to its aggressive nature and the vital role blood plays in sustaining life. Yet, with advances in medical science, early diagnosis, patient-centered care, and a growing network of support systems, there is renewed hope for those battling leukemia. This article delves deep into understanding leukemia — its causes, types, symptoms, diagnostic methods, and most importantly, the pillars of hope, care, and treatment that can guide patients and families through this challenging journey. 1. Understanding Leukemia What is Leukemia? Leukemia is a cancer of the blood or bone marrow characterized by the overproduction of abnormal white blood cells. These cancerous cells crowd out healthy blood cells, impeding the body’s ability to fight infection, carry oxygen, or control bleeding. How Blood Works To appreciate how leukemia affects the body, it is important to understand how normal blood functions. The bone...

  CAR-T cell therapy is a revolutionary immunotherapy that involves genetically modifying a patient’s T cells to express a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), enabling them to recognize and attack cancer cells. Initially celebrated for its success in treating hematologic malignancies, this therapy is now undergoing rapid advancements to broaden its application, enhance its effectiveness, and address its challenges. Below, we explore the latest developments in CAR-T cell therapy for cancer.   *Success in Blood Cancers - CAR-T cell therapy has transformed the treatment of certain blood cancers, such as leukemia and lymphoma. Clinical trials have demonstrated remarkable outcomes with therapies like axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel, marketed as Yescarta). For instance: - In patients with **advanced follicular lymphoma**, axi-cel has eliminated cancer in nearly **80% of cases**. - For **large cell lymphoma**, over **30% of patients** remained alive and cancer-free five years...