Immunomodulation against leukemias and lymphomas: a realistic future treatment?
Immunotherapy offers the potential for cure of malignancy without the side effects too commonly seen with conventional chemotherapy. The efficacy of allogenic transplantation and monoclonal antibodies in hematological malignancies illustrate this principle and are now part of routine care. Newer cell based and molecular approaches aimed at stimulating cytotoxic activity against host derived tumor associated antigens are able to 'boost' anti-tumor immunity as judged by immunological assays in vitro. Although clinically meaningful responses were originally less evident, more promising results are now being reported. Our growing understanding of tumor immunology provide rationales for further improvements in the field.
Mittal
S
S
Department of Clinical Haematology, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen AB25 2ZN, United Kingdom.
Marshall
N A
NA
Barker
R N
RN
Vickers
M A
MA
D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural; D007938:Leukemia / Q000628:therapy*; D008223:Lymphoma / Q000628:therapy*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic
D019496:Cancer Vaccines