title: Novel approaches to the immunotherapy of B-cell malignancies: An update.
abstract: Immunotherapy of cancer includes both active and adoptive, or passive, forms of immunization to target and eradicate malignant B cells in the host. Advances in the understanding of immunology and tumor-cell evasion of the host immune system, coupled with improved technologies to manipulate immune effectors and tumors, have led to a wide array of novel therapies for B-cell malignancies. As a result, investigators have proposed and tested numerous vaccine strategies able to elicit immune responses to tumor antigens. Furthermore, novel approaches to B-cell-targeted antibody therapies hold promise in advancing this line of treatment, and efficient gene transfer technologies have enabled investigators to manipulate immune effector cells to enhance antitumor activity. Significantly, an increasing number of these novel immune-based therapies are being applied to the clinical setting. Whether findings from these clinical trials, in combination with further preclinical studies, will ultimately translate into improved survival of patients with B-cell malignancies remains to be seen.
authors.affiliation: Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY 10021, USA. brentjer@mskcc.org
authors.forename: Renier J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Brentjens
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D016207:Cytokines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D018796:Immunoconjugates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes / Q000276:immunology; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D016233:Immunotherapy, Active; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D015448:Leukemia, B-Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D016393:Lymphoma, B-Cell / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000628:therapy*; D051379:Mice; D035703:Therapies, Investigational; D014407:Tumor Cells, Cultured / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000637:transplantation; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D016207:Cytokines; D018796:Immunoconjugates; D007130:Immunoglobulin Idiotypes; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic