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Update on the Development of Curative Cancer Immunotherapies
Author(s) -
Restifo Nicholas
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.29.1_supplement.486.1
Subject(s) - medicine , adoptive cell transfer , cancer , immunotherapy , radiation therapy , oncology , cancer immunotherapy , melanoma , chemotherapy , immunology , immune system , t cell , cancer research
Invasive cancer results in the death of more than 8 million people worldwide and over have of these deaths occur in the developing world. With few exceptions, the most commonly used therapies – surgery, chemotherapy and radiation therapy – do not result in long term durable complete responses in patients once cancer has spread beyond its primary site. Over the past several years, cancer immunotherapy based on the adoptive transfer of a patients own (autologous) cells – be they naturally‐occurring or genetically‐engineered – is rapidly establishing itself as a viable approach to the treatment of metastatic cancer. Some patients have experienced complete responses ongoing beyond five years. Current efforts are aimed at understanding the T cell qualities that enable the induction of long‐term durable complete responses in patients. While drug‐based therapies last for hours or days, cell‐based therapies can last for weeks or months, even years. We have now identified the properties of human stem cell‐like anti‐tumor T cells that can effectively combat the stem cell‐like process of cancer. These efforts are akin to 'fighting fire with fire.' Adoptive cell transfer immunotherapy is a rapidly developing new approach to the therapy of metastatic cancer in humans and has mediated complete regression of cancers in patients with metastatic melanoma, refractory leukemias and lymphomas and in patients with advanced cervical cancer.