title: Antigen-specific immunotherapies for acute myeloid leukemia.
abstract: Antigen-specific immunotherapies have emerged as important components of curative treatment algorithms for many cancers. In acute myeloid leukemia (AML), success has been less obvious. Nonetheless, among the few drugs shown to improve survival in recent randomized trials is the CD33 antibody-drug conjugate gemtuzumab ozogamicin. Significant antileukemic activity is also well documented for radioimmunoconjugates targeting CD33, CD45, or CD66. These therapeutics can intensify conditioning before hematopoietic cell transplantation, but their effect on patient outcomes needs clarification. Emerging data now suggest clinical antileukemic activity of several novel antibodies and perhaps some adoptive T-cell immunotherapies and vaccines. In parallel, numerous other agents targeting a wider variety of antigens are currently being explored. However, the antigenic heterogeneity characteristic of AML is a considerable limitation for all these therapeutics, and many important questions related to the ideal target antigen(s), disease situation in which to use these therapies, most suitable patient populations, exact treatment modalities, and details of supportive care needs remain open. Addressing such questions in upcoming studies will be required to ensure that antigen-directed therapies become an effective tool in AML, a disease for which outcomes with standard "3 + 7"-based chemotherapy have remained unsatisfactory in many patients.
authors.affiliation: Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program.
authors.forename: Sarah A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Buckley
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, and Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA; and Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, WA.
authors.forename: Roland B
authors.initials: RB
authors.lastname: Walter
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000617:Aminoglycosides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000906:Antibodies / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000941:Antigens / Q000737:chemistry*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D000079982:Gemtuzumab; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive / Q000379:methods; D000922:Immunotoxins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015470:Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy*; D016499:Radioimmunotherapy / Q000379:methods; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D063268:Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3 / Q000737:chemistry; D014612:Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000617:Aminoglycosides; D000906:Antibodies; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000941:Antigens; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C571163:CD33 protein, human; D000922:Immunotoxins; D063268:Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 3; D014612:Vaccines; D000079982:Gemtuzumab