Biological response modifiers (BRMs) are a new type of anti-tumor drugs. Clinically, they are classified into five major categories: cytokines, bacterial preparations, tumor proliferation viruses, thymosin, and traditional Chinese medicine preparations. BRMs exert their biological activity through four pathways: activating the activity of immune effector cells such as T cells, reducing the levels of inhibitory factors such as transforming growth factor, enhancing the expression of surface antigens on tumor cells to improve immune recognition ability, and inducing abnormal cells to differentiate normally. BRMs can achieve the following functions: enhancing the body's anti-tumor ability, inducing tumor cells to differentiate and mature into normal cells; reducing immune suppression effects, enhancing the body's tolerance to toxic substances, and directly enhancing the body's defense ability; enhancing the efficacy of chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and surgical treatment on tumors and reducing their side effects. Currently, BRM therapy is still in its infancy and is often combined with traditional radiotherapy in clinical practice, which can significantly increase the five-year survival rate of patients. It offers us more methods and possibilities for treating cancer, and we hope that in the near future, people will no longer be terrified of cancer.
