Adoptive immunotherapy

Adoptive immunotherapy is a form of cancer treatment that uses the body's own immune system to fight disease. This approach involves the isolation and manipulation of specific components of the immune system, and then reinfusing them into the patient with the goal of improving the body's natural ability to fight cancer.

History

The concept of adoptive immunotherapy was first proposed in the late 19th century by William Coley, who noticed that some cancer patients who developed infections after surgery showed signs of cancer regression. This led to the development of Coley's toxins, a form of early immunotherapy.

Mechanism of Action

Adoptive immunotherapy works by enhancing the body's immune response to cancer. This is achieved by isolating immune cells from the patient, manipulating them in a laboratory to enhance their ability to fight cancer, and then reinfusing them back into the patient. The types of immune cells used in adoptive immunotherapy include T cells, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells.

Types of Adoptive Immunotherapy

There are several types of adoptive immunotherapy, including:

• Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocyte (TIL) Therapy: This involves the isolation of T cells from a patient's tumor, expanding them in the laboratory, and then reinfusing them back into the patient.

• Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) T-Cell Therapy: This involves genetically modifying a patient's T cells to express a receptor specific for a cancer antigen, and then reinfusing them back into the patient.

• Natural Killer (NK) Cell Therapy: This involves the isolation of NK cells from a patient, expanding them in the laboratory, and then reinfusing them back into the patient.

Clinical Applications

Adoptive immunotherapy has been used to treat a variety of cancers, including melanoma, leukemia, and lymphoma. The success of these treatments has led to the approval of several adoptive immunotherapy treatments by the FDA.

Future Directions

While adoptive immunotherapy has shown promise in the treatment of cancer, there are still many challenges to overcome. These include the high cost of treatment, the complexity of manufacturing immune cells, and the potential for severe side effects. Future research is focused on improving the safety and efficacy of adoptive immunotherapy, as well as expanding its use to other types of cancer.