Interferons as Therapy for Viral and Neoplastic Diseases: From Panacea to Pariah to Paragon

Abstract

For more than 20 years after the excitement engendered by their discovery in 1957 as antiviral agents, there were no significant clinical uses of interferons; however, following their cloning they have been employed as effective treatment for several viral, autoimmune, and neoplastic diseases.

Keywords

• interferon
• clinical applications
• cancer
• infectious diseases
• multiple sclerosis