DCs and CD40-activated B cells: current and future avenues to cellular cancer immunotherapy.
Despite the still poorly understood complexity of tumor-host immune interactions, the use of cellular vaccines (particularly dendritic cells) has made it possible to reliably generate tumor antigen-specific T cells, both in animal models and in humans. These encouraging pre-clinical results have led to a translation of these immunotherapeutic strategies into clinical trials. With numerous trials still underway, their general outcome has so far been disappointing, and the discrepancy between pre-clinical data and clinical response rates is striking. Thus, either the pre-clinical models have not been representative of the human situation or the translation into human clinical trials is still sub-optimal. Here we suggest new avenues of clinical research to further improve cellular cancer immunotherapy.
Schultze
Joachim L
JL
Molecular Tumor Biology and Tumor Immunology, Clinic I for Internal Medicine, University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, Joseph Stelzmann Strasse 9, 50931 Cologne, Germany.
Grabbe
Stephan
S
von Bergwelt-Baildon
Michael S
MS
D000818:Animals; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D019013:CD40 Antigens / Q000378:metabolism; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*
D019013:CD40 Antigens; D019496:Cancer Vaccines