Treatment of Cancer
Cuba is known the world over for its lung cancer treatments. Cuba offers a comprehensive treatment for people with non-small cell LUNG CANCER in advanced stages (IIIB and IV) or stable disease, after the first line onco-specific treatment of chemotherapy or radiotherapy, with the therapeutic vaccine CIMAvax – EGF®, which is based on immunotherapy, a procedure that stimulates the body’s immune system. Unlike other more aggressive treatments, immunotherapy allows a long-term treatment, without affecting the patient’s quality of life.
Basic Oncology is treated at the Oncology Hospital. Specialised Oncology is carried out at La Pradera (non-surgical). Surgical cases would be mainly at H. Ameijeiras, INOR and CIMEQ.
The treatment with Monoclonal Antibody Therapeutic Vaccines is used in Cuba for the treatment of some types of cancer:
- Lung cancer is only used in cases of non-small cell cancer. These are the vaccines CIMAVAX and VAXIRA (Racotumumab).
- Brain, head and neck cancer, the therapeutic vaccine CIMAHER (Nimotuzumab) is used. It is only used in primary tumors.
- Vidatox: alternative therapy against cancer with natural products The treatment requires admission with a companion. It is administered intramuscular. It consists of an induction phase that begins with the administration of the first five doses for 14 days and a maintenance phase that includes re-immunizations every 28 days, which will be maintained until the patient's condition allows it.
Immunotherapy for skin cancer (HeberFERON)
The treatment includes the use of HeberFERON®, a Cuban drug developed by the Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology – with more than 20 years of research and clinical trials – which consists of the synergic combination of recombinant human alpha and gamma Immunoferon. It is indicated for the treatment of basal cell carcinomas, in lesions of any size and location, including high-risk areas, the H-zone of the face, or those locally advanced and difficult to treat due to their proximity to the eyes or the brain.
Among its greatest advantages is the fact that it heals the lesions and reduces the tumor mass, provokes a faster therapeutic response, extends the response to treatment for at least five years, reduces the frequency of new lesions by eight times, avoids complex surgeries in the area around the eyes and their after-effects, and generally improves the patient’s quality of life.
Immunotherapy for head and neck cancer (CIMAher)
CIMAher® is a humanized monoclonal antibody for the treatment of some cancer sites, developed by the Center for Molecular Immunology in Cuba. Its combination with conventional treatments such as radiation therapy and chemotherapy has been shown to improve the objective response to the disease by 70-100%.
The HR3 antibody is obtained by genetic engineering and acts on the immune system, activating it. This, in turn, controls the growth of tumor cells, slowing them down. One of its main advantages is that it preferentially recognizes tumor cells and not normal tissue and can be used in combination with other cancer therapies (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) or alone.
CIMAher® is currently registered for the treatment of naso-pharyngeal tumors, esophageal tumors, pancreatic tumors, and non-small cell lung cancer.
It is registered for the following indications:
- Treatment of advanced stage head and neck tumors in combination with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.
- Treatment of highly malignant astrocytoma as monotherapy in children refractory to oncospecific treatment.
- Treatment of glioblastoma multiforme, in combination with radiotherapy, in adult patients.
- Treatment of inoperable malignant esophageal tumors of epithelial origin, in combination with radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy.
