Biotherapy is the use of living animals for medical treatment or as an adjunct to

medical diagnosis.

Biotherapy is the use of living organisms to diagnose, treat or cure disease or

disease symptoms. Biotherapy encompasses ,among other things, maggot
therapy (maggot debridement therapy [MDT], larva therapy), leech therapy
(hirudotherapy), honey bee therapy (apitherapy), fish therapy (ichthiotherapy),
pet therapy, detection dogs, medical response dogs, phage therapy, and
helminthic therapy. The latter, helminthic therapy, is also a class of
immunotherapy.

Maggots, leeches & fish have been used to save limbs & lives. Dogs can detect
cancer[1], alert to medical problems, and raise the spirits. Bee venom has been
reported to help in neurological and musculoskeletal diseases.

biotherapy (BY-oh-THAYR-uh-pee)
Treatment to boost or restore the ability of the immune system to fight cancer,
infections, and other diseases. Also used to lessen certain side effects that may
be caused by some cancer treatments. Agents used in biotherapy include
monoclonal antibodies, growth factors, and vaccines. These agents may also
have a direct antitumor effect. Also called biological response modifier therapy,
biological therapy, BRM therapy, and immunotherapy.

Definition of Biotherapy

Biotherapy: Treatment to stimulate or restore the ability of the immune (defense)

system to fight infection and disease. Biological therapy is thus any form of
treatment that uses the body's natural abilities that constitute the immune system
to fight infection and disease or to protect the body from some of the side effects
of treatment.

Biotherapy (also called biological therapy or immunotherapy) often employs

substances called biological response modifiers (BRMs). The body normally
produces low levels of BRMs in response to infection and disease. Large
amounts of BRMs can be made in the laboratory to treat cancer, rheumatoid
arthritis, and other diseases.

Forms of biological therapy include monoclonal antibodies, interferon, interleukin-

2 (IL-2), and several types of colony-stimulating factors (CSF, GM-CSF, G-CSF).
Interleukin-2 and interferon are BRMs being tested for the treatment of advanced
malignant melanoma. Interferon is a BRM now in use to treat hepatitis C.

Biologic therapy to block the action of instruments of inflammation called tumor

necrosis factor (TNF) is being explored to treat conditions such as Crohn's
disease and rheumatoid arthritis. Etanercept (ENBREL) is a commercially
available injectable TNF-blocking treatment for patients with severe rheumatoid
arthritis.

The side effects of biological therapy depend on the type of treatment. Often,
these treatments cause flu-like symptoms such as chills, fever, muscle aches,
weakness, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some patients
develop a rash, and some bleed or bruise easily. In addition, interleukin therapy
can cause swelling. Depending on how severe these problems are, patients may
need to stay in the hospital during treatment. These side effects are usually
short-term and they gradually go away after treatment stops.