There are trillions of cells in a person every day, and under the influence of carcinogens (smoking, ionizing radiation, Helicobacter pylori, etc.), about 50-1 million cells can mutate during replication every day, and some mutated cells further become cancer cells. Since we have the best "doctor" in the world, the immune system, working non-stop 24 hours a day, to protect us from harm. The normal immune system can clear out the cancer cells in time, and usually we don't get cancer.
Strong immune system
The immune system is composed of immune organs and tissues, immune cells, and immune molecules.
Our immune system has three main functions:
- Immune defense: Prevent the invasion of external pathogens and remove invading pathogens and other harmful substances.
- Immune surveillance: Discover and remove "non-self" components that appear in the body at any time, such as tumor cells, senescent apoptosis cells, and viruses.
- Immune stabilization: The stabilization of the environment within the immune system is achieved through two main mechanisms of autoimmune tolerance and immune regulation.
Six reasons for an imbalance in the immune system
When various environmental, dietary, and emotional factors lead to immune imbalances, low immunity, and inability to resist the invasion of the virus, they will often have colds and fevers, repeated respiratory infections such as tonsillitis, bronchitis, pneumonia, and even cancer.
The main reason for the decline in the function of the immune system is the degeneration of the thymus gland. The thymus gland is the place where T cells differentiate, develop and mature, and is an important lymphatic organ of the body. The study found that thymus decline occurs with age, shrinking by nearly half every 16 years on average, so the production of T cells will also decrease accordingly. Moreover, there is a strong correlation between the increase in the incidence of certain cancers and the decline in the number of T cells.
- Natural aging leads to decreased immune function (thymus function becomes smaller as it ages)
- External physico-chemical-biological factors damage the immune system
- Bad lifestyle habits such as work stress, overwork, etc. damage the immune system
- Acute and chronic diseases damage the immune system
- Chemoradiation in cancer patients damages the immune system
- Tumor cells release cytokines that inhibit immune cell function
Nine symptoms of low immunity
Once immune function begins to decline, our body will warn you of various small problems, such as:
1, often feel tired 2, often cold 3, wounds are easy to infect 4, gastrointestinal function decline; poor self-protection ability 5, susceptible to the invasion of infectious diseases 6, mental malaise 7, easy to lethargic 8, love to dream (nightmare) 9, physical and mental haggard
Seven major populations need to regulate immunity
The following seven groups of people are significantly less immune and need to be vigilant:
- Chronic sleep deprivation. Frequent lack of sleep can drastically reduce the number of immune cells produced by the body. People who sleep 7-8 hours a day and only sleep 4 hours a day have only 50% of the flu antibodies in their blood.
- Too much pressure. People who live their lives with a lot of pressure can do a lot of damage to their immunity.
- The amount of exercise is too small. By doing 30 minutes of aerobic exercise a day (such as brisk walking), the immune system is more efficient.
- Over-reliance on antibiotics. Taking antibiotics as soon as you have cold symptoms will only make the virus resistant, leading to an imbalance in the body's immune system.
- Tumor patients. Most tumor patients are immunocompromised people. Because if our immune systems are strong enough, they closely monitor bacteria, viruses, abnormal cells and destroy them.
- Family members of tumor patients. Studies have found that cancer is caused by individual genetic variations and the interaction of carcinogens. Some tumors have familial aggregation and genetic susceptibility, and for people with a history of familial cancer, it is important to pay attention to improving their own immunity.
- Middle-aged and elderly population. With the decline of immunity at age, the risk of getting the disease is getting higher and higher, and the immunity at the age of 50 is equivalent to 50% of the age of 30, and the immunity at the age of 70 is equivalent to 20% of the age of 20.
Immunity is the weapon against cancer! Five ways to adjust fast collection!
The immune cells in the human body are the best weapons for us to monitor and defend against cancer cells. However, with age, as well as surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy, etc., it can lead to a gradual decrease in immune cells. Therefore, how to protect and improve immunity is what every patient and family needs to know.
01
A good mindset is the best way to boost immunity!
An optimistic attitude can put the human body in an optimal state and help everyone better maintain their own immunity. If the psychological stress is too great, it will lead to an increase in the hormonal components that have an inhibitory effect on the immune system, thereby reducing immune function.
We want: Get enough sleep. Maintain good interpersonal relationships. Find your own hobbies, which can be chess, singing, a certain sport, calligraphy, photography, etc., try to find satisfaction and achievement in these hobbies, happy mood.
02
Regulates immunity through diet
A balanced diet is the basis for ensuring the normal functioning of the body, especially the maintenance of immunity.
First, eat more plant foods.
Second, choose a low-fat diet.
Third, consume lean protein.
Finally, limit the intake of sugar, alcohol, and processed meat to three major carcinogens.
In addition, there are also a variety of health care products on the market to improve immunity as a gimmick, and everyone must be cautious. Here are some of the currently proven studies of edible substances with immune boosting function: broccoli extract Regarding broccoli, its anti-cancer efficacy has been preliminarily confirmed in the past, and the American Institute of Cancer has analyzed how cruciferous vegetables and their nutrients affect the risk of cancer after a systematic review of the global scientific literature. A comprehensive review of decades of research concluded that cruciferous vegetables are a large class, each containing a large number of vitamins, minerals and phytochemicals, and some of the compounds that have been studied well in the laboratory to reduce the risk of cancer include glucosinolates, which are broken down into isothiocyanates and indole. Studies have shown that these compounds "turn on" genes that inhibit tumors, slow cancer cell growth and stimulate the apoptosis process of cancer cells that self-destruct. Some studies have shown that these substances may also convert the active form of estrogen into a weaker form. (Large amounts of estrogen are a risk factor for certain hormone-related cancers.) Carotenoids act as antioxidants. β-carotene, a more well-known carotenoid, also helps control abnormal cell growth. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant to support the immune system and protect cells. Behenol, quercetin and anthocyanins have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. In cell and animal studies, they slowed the development of several stages and types of cancer. Folic acid helps maintain healthy DNA and causes onco-promoting genes to "shut down." However, animal studies have shown that abnormally high amounts or interventions after cancer cells form may promote the development of colon and other cancers. Earlier studies have found a strong link between increased intake of cruciferous vegetables and a reduced risk of lung, colorectal, stomach, breast, prostate and other cancers. In a new paper recently published in the leading international journal Science, a study led by Dr. Pier Paolo Pandolfi, director of the Cancer Institute at Beth Israel Deaconess (Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center), affiliated to Harvard University, once again made it clear that broccoli and other cruciferous plant families, including cauliflower, cabbage, kale, and brussels sprouts, contain a natural molecular compound. WWP1, a gene that can inactivate a role in a variety of common cancers. Click here for details: Science Blockbuster! The potent anti-tumor properties of the natural compounds in broccoli have finally been proven!
03
Regulates immunity through exercise
Studies have shown that by exercising regularly and without excessive strenuous exercise, the number of immune cells in the body increases. In addition, regular exercise can also promote blood circulation, so that the immune system cells work more efficiently.
During the special period, we can do more housework as much as we can, and we can also play tai chi, practice yoga, and massage to unblock the blood veins.
04
Regulates the intestinal flora
In the human digestive system, the intestine is the largest digestive organ of the human body, but many people do not know that it is also the largest immune organ of the human body, gathering 70% of lymphocytes! At the same time, a large bacterial population exists in our intestines, silently controlling our metabolism and immune system, so a strong intestinal flora is considered to be the "invisible organ" of the human body.
There is a dynamic and balanced network of interactions between the gut microbiome and the body's immune cells, and once the imbalance of the intestinal flora is destroyed, for example, some people think that eating antibiotics can prevent infection with the new coronavirus pneumonia, in fact, experts have debunked rumors that this is very undesirable. The abuse of antibiotics will destroy the balance of their own flora, and changes in the type, quantity, proportion, localization and biological characteristics will cause a series of inflammatory responses and immune system diseases, and even lead to the occurrence of cancer. Maintaining the intrinsic intestinal flora and maintaining the balance of the intestinal flora can further regulate the body's immune function. New discoveries! The gut microbiota can affect cancer treatment, and there are three ways to improve it that must be known
05
Immunomodulation, making up for the collapse of defenses caused by immunosupplexity
If the symptoms of the immune imbalance are mild, we can adjust in time by diet, exercise, more rest, once severe symptoms appear, or by testing (why do real-time monitoring of immune function?). If we find that our immunity is seriously abnormal, we need aggressive treatment to help our immunity recover as soon as possible. For example, clinicians will recommend injecting thymopeptide drugs, interferons, cellular immunomodulation to restore immune test function and restore immune killing function, and so on.
01 Immunomodulators Immunomodulators are non-specific immunotherapy that helps the immune system fight bacteria, viruses and cancer cells, including thymus peptides, interferons and interleukins. People who need to boost immunity will be injected with immunomodulators, such as medical workers who are on the front line to fight the epidemic are injected with thymus peptides to enhance immunity; clinicians will give thymus peptides or interferon, interleukin and other immunomodulators after radiotherapy and chemotherapy to enhance the immunity of cancer patients. Thymus peptide is one of the most commonly used immune-boosting regulators in clinical practice.
Thymus peptide is a peptide protein produced by the thymus gland that balances and regulates immune function, and is a polypeptide protein that is closely related to the body's cellular immunity. The body's immune system has the function of monitoring and killing diseased cells and removing senescent dead cells in the body, which is both "immune monitoring" and "immune self-stabilization". After adulthood, the thymus gland reaches its maximum and the thymus gland gradually atrophises, the human body function also begins to decline, the secretion of thymus peptide begins to decrease or is missing, the first immune protection wall of the human body is gradually lost, and various diseases also follow, at this time, in order to improve the weakened immune function of the body, supplementation of thymosin is necessary.
02 Adoptive cell regulation adoptive immune cell therapy technology is to collect human autoimmune cells, culture them in vitro, expand their number by a thousand times, enhance the targeted killing function, and then infuse it back into the patient's body, thereby killing pathogens, cancer cells, and mutated cells in the blood and tissues. Clinical adjuvant therapy for immune cells NK, DC, T cells has undergone a large number of clinical studies.
The "whistleblower" in the immune system - NK cells
One of the most important members of immune cells is NK cells. NK cells, also known as natural killer cells, are an important member of the human immune cell family, fighting in the first line of defense to protect human health all year round, especially in the battlefield of monitoring and eliminating cancer cells, always leading the way, fighting bravely, so it is known as the natural immune core cells.
NK cells have a broad spectrum of anti-tumor effects, do not show the specificity of tumor killing and MHC restriction, and the role of NK cells is particularly important when other immune cells (such as T, B cells) in the body are low!
Medically, NK cells play a key role in the first line of defense against cancer. NK cells have two anti-cancer effects, one is the above-mentioned direct killing of tumor cells, through the release of perforin and granulase or through the death of receptors to kill tumor cells; the other is that it plays the role of the immune system by secreting cytokines and chemokines, activating the killing effect of T cells and the like.
These features make NK cells promising in tumor immunotherapy. Current NK cell strategies for tumor immunotherapy include autologous or allogeneic NK cell therapy activated in vitro; antibody-specific cytotoxicity induced by combining NK cells and monoclonal antibodies (such as immune checkpoint inhibitors); and constructing CAR-NK cell immunotherapy.
Take a look at how NK cells under an ultra-high-definition microscope attack and destroy cancer cells.
【Discovery】
【Offense】
【Elimination】
Sentinel of the immune system - dendritic cells
Dendritic cells are the most powerful antigen-presenting cells known in the body, and the biggest feature is that they can stimulate the proliferation of initial T cells. Therefore, DC is the initiator of the body's immune response and has a unique position in the induction of the immune response. Dendritic cells fully activate T cells in vivo, promote T cell clearance of tumors, dendritic cells can also promote T cell enrichment, enhance T cell activation.
Dendritic cell vaccines are used in the following cancer species and data:
Breast cancer dendritic cell vaccine
A trial of the HER-2 pulsed DC1 vaccine, which is being conducted at the Moffitt Cancer Center Cancer Center and Research Institute, will test safety and immunogenicity in high- and moderately expressed breast cancers at high risk for breast cancer to prevent recurrence of breast cancer.
Ovarian cancer dendritic cell vaccine
At the 50th Annual Meeting of the Gynecologic Oncology Society (SGO) in 2019, a Phase II clinical trial was announced, and the final results were announced: for patients with relapsed, platinum-sensitive, epithelial ovarian cancer using dendritic cell-based immunotherapy DCVAC/OvCA added to the standard carboplatin and gemcitabine protocols, which can extend the overall survival (OS) of patients with advanced recurrent ovarian cancer by more than one year, this data is absolutely amazing!
Dendritic vaccine for lung cancer
Scientists at UCLA have discovered a dendritic cell vaccine that, in a Phase I clinical trial, administered the CCL21-dendritic vaccine directly to the tumors of 16 patients with non-small cell lung cancer. The results showed that on day 56, 25% of the patients were stable (meaning that the size of their tumor did not increase or decrease).
Lymphoma dendritic vaccine (Icahn School of Medicine, Mount Sinai, New York)
Dr. Joshua Brody, director of the Lymphoma Immunotherapy Program at the Icahn School of Medicine in Mount Sinai, New York, injected the vaccine into a tumor (vaccination in situ) and saw the tumor disappear throughout the body. The blockbuster study was published in the top international journal Nature Medicine on April 8.
Under the treatment of anti-cancer vaccines, 8 of the 11 patients achieved remission, of which 2 patients had complete remission. 1 patient who achieved complete remission had a progression-free survival of nearly 4 years!
Brain tumor dendritic vaccine (Duke University, USA)
Biotechnology company Northwest Biotherapeutics recently released data from an interim trial of its pilot therapy DCVax-L® for a phase III clinical study of newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM).
As of publication, of the patients enrolled in the clinical trial for more than three years, 67 (30%) survived for more than 30 months and 44 (24.2%) survived for more than 36 months. Median survival in these patients is expected to be 46.5 to 88.2 months. At the time of the analysis, 108 of the 331 patients who participated in the trial (32.6%) remained alive.
Immune Legion Special Forces - T cells
The body's immune defense mechanism mainly relies on the body's white blood cell legion, as a kind of white blood cells, T cells have an irreplaceable role, they are the special soldiers in the human body, once the cancer cells are found, T cells first take the initiative to kill the enemy, therefore, it is also known as "killer T cells".
Cytotoxic T cells (Tc or CTL), also known as killer T cells, are cells that monitor and kill target cells when needed. Cytotoxic T cells have a memory function for target cells with antigens, and once the target cells with specific antigens are found, they will stimulate effector cytotoxic T cells to produce effector cytotoxic T cells and destroy infected cells or cancer cells. At present, T cell-based CAR-T therapy has been approved in China, the United States, Japan and other countries, and TILs therapy and TCR-T therapy are undergoing extensive clinical research. In addition, there are multi-target complex antigen T cells that are currently being studied as immunomodulatory means.
The human immune system is the best "doctor" in the world, working 24 hours a day to protect us from invaders, so please do the above five points to ensure that our own immune function is in a healthy state.