Geographical considerations regarding donor leukocyte infusions for the treatment of relapsed hematological malignancies.
Infusion of donor leukocytes, to provoke graft-versus-host disease and a graft versus leukemia effect, is remarkably effective in the treatment of some forms of relapsed hematological malignancies after transplantation of allogeneic stem cells. In this commentary I argue that the variable susceptibility of tumor cells to donor leukocyte infusions can be predicted on the basis of their localization to the T cell areas of secondary lymphoid organs and the amount of donor chimerism in the patient. This conclusion leads to the hypothesis that it may be possible to modulate graft-versus-leukemia reactions in a controlled and predictable fashion.
Division of Cancer Biology Research, Sunnybrook Health Science Centre, Toronto, Canada. spaner@src1.sunnybrook.utoronto.ca
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D000818:Animals; D020350:Graft vs Tumor Effect / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D007938:Leukemia / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*; D007942:Leukemia, Experimental / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D008208:Lymphatic System / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology; D018183:Transplantation Chimera; D014181:Transplantation Immunology; D014184:Transplantation, Homologous