Interferons (IFNs) are a family of cytokines with several biological functions.
Currently, IFNs are classified in three groups: Type I, Type II and Type III. Type I IFNs
include a family of several related proteins produced by essentially all eukaryotic cells.
Type II IFN has only one member, IFN-, is mainly produced by T cells, NK cells and
NKT cells. Type III IFNs include 3 related proteins, IFN-1/IL-29, IFN-2/IL-28A and
IFN-3/IL28B, which are produced by several cells types. IFNs exhibit antiviral, antiproliferative,
immune-modulatory and anti-angiogenic properties. Their potent antiproliferative
effects make them good candidates for cancer therapy. Type II and type III
IFNs have been investigated mainly in cancer cell lines and in animal models. Several
clinical trials have been conducted with type I IFNs; the results of some of them have
led to the approval and use of this type of IFN for the treatment of some malignancies.
However, many patients develop toxicity and this has limited their use as anticancer
agents, making it necessary to find a way to determine the patients who would most
likely benefit from IFN treatment to avoid exposing non responsive patients to its toxic
effects. In this chapter the mechanism of IFN production and signaling and their use in
different types of cancer will be addressed.
Keywords: Interferon, cancer, leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, hairy
cell leukemia, osteosarcoma, kaposi sarcoma, melanoma, renal cell carcinoma,
follicular lymphoma, head and neck squamous cell carcinomas, breast cancer,
ovarian cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, bladder cancer, brain tumors,
hepatocellular carcinoma, multiple myeloma.