Grampsie asked me the other day about the medications that Sadie is on and what they were supposed to do. Here is a simple explanation clipped and pasted for those of you who are medically bent:
General Information About Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH)
Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a disease that can damage tissue or cause lesions to form in one or more places in the body.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease that occurs when the body makes too many Langerhans cells. A Langerhans cell is a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infection. Langerhans cells (also called histiocytes) are normally found in the skin, lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, and lungs. In LCH, extra Langerhans cells spread through the blood and build up in certain parts of the body, where they can damage tissue or form tumors.
Scientists do not agree on whether LCH is a type of cancer or is a condition caused by a change in the immune system. LCH is often treated with anticancer drugs that may also be used to treat immune system conditions.
Prednisone - Prednisone is just an oral form of Cortisone. It is a steroid hormone. Prednisone decreases inflammation by preventing white blood cells from functioning properly. More specifically, the drug interferes with lymphocytes (one of several types of white blood cells). The presence of white blood cells result in inflammation (for many reasons, damage to tissue, fungus, virus, bacteria, allergens and almost any foreign invader) - they go to a site and their presence inflames the area. Prednisone causes lymphocytes to break apart and die. The lesions in histiocytosis usually contain lymphocytes, so prednisone attacks the lesions.
Vinblastine (Velban) - Vinblastine is a plant alkaloid and inhibits mitosis or cell division. Vinblastine disrupts cell division, resulting in cell death. Specifically, it works to inhibit mitosis (cell division) in metaphase. Vinblastine is actually derived from the Madagascar Periwinkle.
General Information About Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH)
Langerhans cell histiocytosis is a disease that can damage tissue or cause lesions to form in one or more places in the body.
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is a rare disease that occurs when the body makes too many Langerhans cells. A Langerhans cell is a type of white blood cell that helps the body fight infection. Langerhans cells (also called histiocytes) are normally found in the skin, lymph nodes, spleen, bone marrow, and lungs. In LCH, extra Langerhans cells spread through the blood and build up in certain parts of the body, where they can damage tissue or form tumors.
Scientists do not agree on whether LCH is a type of cancer or is a condition caused by a change in the immune system. LCH is often treated with anticancer drugs that may also be used to treat immune system conditions.
Prednisone - Prednisone is just an oral form of Cortisone. It is a steroid hormone. Prednisone decreases inflammation by preventing white blood cells from functioning properly. More specifically, the drug interferes with lymphocytes (one of several types of white blood cells). The presence of white blood cells result in inflammation (for many reasons, damage to tissue, fungus, virus, bacteria, allergens and almost any foreign invader) - they go to a site and their presence inflames the area. Prednisone causes lymphocytes to break apart and die. The lesions in histiocytosis usually contain lymphocytes, so prednisone attacks the lesions.
Vinblastine (Velban) - Vinblastine is a plant alkaloid and inhibits mitosis or cell division. Vinblastine disrupts cell division, resulting in cell death. Specifically, it works to inhibit mitosis (cell division) in metaphase. Vinblastine is actually derived from the Madagascar Periwinkle.
Basically, these two drugs working together cover both possibilities of LCH being either a faulty immune response (by prednisone breaking apart white blood cells in LCH lesions) or a cancer (by stopping cell division in the lesions). -j
3 comments:
Thanks for that information Jess....I was just asked today what prednisone does....
I've taken prednisone before - for a couple of weeks - (for severe allergies) but I didn't know what it actually did. This article almost makes sense to my non-medical mind. Thanks for posting. We will continue to pray -- my Isobel is a great reminder to pray for your girlie who is the same size!
Denise.
Thanks, Jessie. I am trying to figure it out from the internet :) but your explanations were better :)
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