IVIG and Cancer: By Lauren Gerstmann, MPH

W
hen an oncologist told Helene Kelly that she
had cancer, she was scared. Now she chuckles,
“I didn’t even know what an oncologist is.”
With her diagnosis, Helene learned that she has
chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), an incurable blood
cancer, but one with symptoms that can be managed
indefinitely with a battery of treatments including
intravenous immune globulin therapy (IVIG).
Like Helene, many people are initially confused and
overwhelmed when they learn they have cancer. Blood
cancers that affect the immune system and may be
incurable are especially frightening. This article will
look at the role of IVIG in cancer therapy and will focus
on the most common uses of IVIG: symptom management
for adult blood cancers, such as CLL and multiple
myeloma, and supportive therapy for pediatric leukemias
and neuroblastoma.

12 December-January 2008 www.igliving.com IG Living!

IVIG and Cancer Helene was 54 when she was diagnosed in 2003. She
Boosting the immune system is a routine part of cancer hadn’t felt right for some time, and then she experienced
therapy, supported by the rationale that a healthy immune a terrible shingles attack that worsened despite treatment
system can more effectively fight off the complications of with antiviral medication. Helene was surprised when her
infection. IVIG therapy specifically is routinely used as part doctor hospitalized her. She had been healthy and active
of the supportive treatment for CLL and multiple myeloma.1 her whole life. Lab tests immediately showed that she
CLL and multiple myeloma are incurable blood cancers, has CLL, the cause of her shingles. After a huge dose of
but their symptoms can be managed with several therapies chemotherapy that made Helene very ill, the doctor began
including IVIG, and IVIG becomes a lifelong treatment. her on IVIG to manage her symptoms. Helene switched
Both of these cancers attack blood cells that are involved doctors, and began seeing Dr. Robert Jacobson, the clinical
in fighting disease, causing them to be called “blood research director at the Palm Beach Cancer Institute in
cancers.” Blood cancers depress the immune system and Florida. Dr. Jacobson educated Helene about CLL and
make the patient vulnerable to infection, which is where regulated her chemotherapy and IVIG treatments, making
IVIG can play its supportive role. her more comfortable.

A Team Player With a Big Role

The key to understanding the role of IVIG in blood cancers Once Helene finished her chemotherapy, she felt like a
is to recognize how these cancers affect plasma cells. different, healthy person. Today, Helene is living well with
Plasma cells develop from B lymphocytes (B cells), a type her disease. Her lab counts have normalized, and she has
of white blood cell that is made in the bone marrow. much more energy. She attributes much of her renewed
Normally, when bacteria or viruses enter the body, some health to her maintenance IVIG therapy. Unfortunately,
of the B cells will change into plasma cells. The plasma cells her local hospital stopped providing IVIG due to the cost,
make a different antibody to fight each type of bacteria or resulting in Helene missing two treatments of IVIG. She
virus that enters the body.2 In CLL, too many lymphocytes immediately contracted bronchitis that antibiotics could
are produced, and they can’t fight infection well. Also, as not touch. As soon as she resumed IVIG therapy in her
the amount of lymphocytes increases in the blood and bone doctor’s office, her health improved dramatically. Now,
marrow, there is less room for healthy white blood cells, she receives IVIG treatments at home every 28 days, and
red blood cells and platelets, which can result in infection, considers IVIG a comfortable part of her routine.
anemia and easy bleeding.3
In multiple myeloma, the lymphocytes successfully IVIG and Pediatric Cancer
transform to plasma cells, but the plasma cells are abnormal. According to Dr. Jerry Finklestein, a pediatric hemotologist-
Abnormal plasma cells (myeloma cells) build up in the oncologist at Long Beach Memorial Hospital in California,
bone marrow, creating destruction of bone and normal the state-of-the-art care for pediatric cancer is continually
bone marrow. This in turn creates a cycle where the bone evolving. Ninety percent of Dr. Finklestein’s eligible patients
marrow can’t produce the stem cells that are precursors under the age of 14 are involved in a research protocol to
to mature blood cells.4 learn more about, and to treat, their cancer. The inherent flux
CLL and myeloma primarily affect older adults with average in treatment protocols makes it unsurprising that IVIG has a
onset in the 60s. Both cancers affect men more frequently than different role in pediatric cancer than it does in adult cancers.
women. Both cause pain, fatigue and recurrent infection.5,6 While some debate lingers over the most effective use ➢

1 www.emedicine.com/med/topic3546.htm
2 www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/Multiple-myeloma-plasma-cell-neoplasm-Treatment-Patient-Information-NCI-PDQ-General-Information
3 www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/Leukemia-chronic-lymphocytic-Treatment-Patient-Information-NCI-PDQ-General-Information-About
4 www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/Multiple-myeloma-plasma-cell-neoplasm-Treatment-Patient-Information-NCI-PDQ-General-Information
5 www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/Leukemia-Topic-Overview
6 www.multiplemyeloma.org/about_myeloma/2.04.php

IG Living! www.igliving.com December-January 2008 13

of IVIG in pediatric cancer, IVIG is used primarily short-term
and in a supportive role. It is used to boost the immune IVIG & Cancer: Current Research
function of pediatric cancer patients who have thrombo-
cytopenia (platelet depletion) that has an autoimmune Who: GammaCan International
component, or it is used as a supportive therapy when What: Investigation of the uses of IVIG in treatment of solid
cancer has mandated that a child undergo a bone marrow tumors and metastatic cancers
transplant (BMT). BMT is a front-line therapy for children When: Currently a Phase II clinical trial that is still recruiting
with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) and may be an participants
early therapy for non-lymphocytic leukemia — both blood Why: The researchers found that IVIG inhibited the metastatic
cancers. BMT and subsequent IVIG use are particularly spread of melanoma, carcinoma and sarcoma in mice
indicated if risks are reduced by having a sibling match.7
To learn more about this research or to contact the investigators,
IVIG also plays a supportive role in stem cell transplants
go to Clinical Trials.gov, reference ID # NCT00294476.
after intensive cancer therapy. For example, neuroblastoma
www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct/screen/BrowseAny?path=%2Fbrowse
is a cancer that forms in nerve tissue of the adrenal gland,
%2Fby-sponsor%2FINDUSTRY%2FGammaCan&recruiting=true
neck, chest or spinal cord. It usually affects children under
5 years.8 Because it often spreads to the lymph nodes, bones,
bone marrow, liver and skin, it can have significant impact Conclusions
on the immune system. Some children with neuroblastoma The common theme in both adult and pediatric cancers
receive treatment so toxic that it destroys their bone marrow. is that IVIG may be used as part of cancer therapy when
After their bone marrow is destroyed, it is replaced with the cancer or its treatment has depressed the immune system.
the child’s own marrow, which was collected and banked It is rarely a cure, but it can help a cancer patient remain
before treatment. IVIG is one part of the recovery process. strong to fight the disease.
In all these situations, IVIG plays a supportive role in cancer The role of IVIG in cancer therapy may be expanding.
therapy, rather than a curative role. But a rare complication of Some researchers note a relationship between autoimmune
neuroblastoma provides a notable exception: Some children conditions that are treated with IVIG and some cancers.
with neuroblastoma develop “dancing eye syndrome” (also For example, people with Sjögrens syndrome (an autoimmune
known as opsoclonus-ataxia or opsoclonus myoclonus). condition causing dry membranes) are more likely to develop
Children with this complication have jerky eye movements lymphoma; myasthenia gravis patients have an increased
and a wobbly gait (myoclonus). Even more significant, risk of thyoma, and some myositis patients may be at
dancing eye syndrome can eventually have developmental increased risk for lung and ovarian cancers.10
and behavioral consequences.9 Dr. Finklestein explains that On the other hand, some cancer patients have an increased
this may be the one area in cancer therapy where IVIG plays tendency toward immune system dysfunction (as seen
a curative role (in conjunction with other therapies such as with blood cancers that directly affect the immune system)
ACTH, a pituitary hormone). Dancing eye syndrome seems and autoimmune reactions. A wide variety of cancers can
to have an ill-defined immune component, and can be cause elevated autoimmune antibodies, even if patients
cured (or nearly cured) by treatment with IVIG. do not develop a full autoimmune disease.11
Dr. Finklestein is banking on this treatment right now, Researchers at GammaCan International, a U.S.-Israeli
giving one of his young patients IVIG infusions every four company, are experimenting with the use of autoimmune
weeks, for six to eight months, in the hopes that her eyes antibodies in cancer treatment.12 Noting the complex relation-
will stop jerking and that she will resume walking normally. ship between immune dysfunction, autoimmunity and cancer,
and the widespread effect of IVIG on the immune system,
7 For more information on bone marrow transplant, please see “Bone Marrow these researchers want to see if they can extend the role of
Transplant: A Search for Health” in the August-September 2007 edition of IG Living. IVIG therapy to treat a wide variety of metastatic cancers.
8 www.webmd.com/cancer/tc/Neuroblastoma-Treatment-Patient-Information-
If they are successful, IVIG could move from being a
NCI-PDQ-General-Information-About-Neuroblastoma.
9 Mitchell, WG, Davalos-Gonzales, Y, Brumm, VL, Aller, AK, Burger, E, Turkel, SB, trusty sidekick to being a star player in some types of
Borchert, MS, Hollar, S, & Padilla, S Opsoclonus-Ataxia Caused by Childhood cancer therapy.
Neuroblastoma: Developmental and Neurologic Sequelae Pediatrics Vol. 109,
No. 1 January 2002, p. 86-98.
10 http://testing.duess.ca/gammacan/download/ivig_prevent_tumor_review.pdf Editor’s note: To contact Helene about CLL and her treatment, please direct
11 Ibid. your message to [email protected]. She is happy to share her experiences
12 Ibid. and to offer support to others with CLL.

14 December-January 2008 www.igliving.com IG Living!