Attempts are being made to develop adoptive immunotherapeutic techniques utilizing the transfer of cells grown in long-term culture in interleukin-2. Techniques for the prolonged growth of cytotoxic and proliferative T cell lines and clones with anti-tumor reactivity have been developed. These cells have been shown to mediate the immunologic rejection of allografts and syngeneic tumors and attempts to use these cells in the adoptive immunotherapy of mouse and human tumors are in progress. A new class of cytotoxic cells has been described in both the mouse and the human. These lymphokine activated killer (LAK) cells develop selective cytotoxicity for cancer cells following incubation in the lymphokine, interleukin-2. The adoptive transfer of these cells into mice bearing established tumors can mediate the inhibition of pulmonary and hepatic metastases. The systemic administration of interleukin-2 has been shown to enhance immune responses in vivo. In the past year, immunotherapeutic trials studying the effects of adoptive transfer of lymphokine activated killer cells and recombinant IL-2 into patients with advanced cancer have continued and new adjuvant trials begun. Clinical trials with tumor infiltrating lymphocytes have also begun.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
Division of Cancer Treatment (NCI)
Type
Intramural Research (Z01)
Project #
1Z01CM003811-14
Application #
3939494
Study Section
Project Start
Project End
Budget Start
Budget End
Support Year
14
Fiscal Year
1987
Total Cost
Indirect Cost
Name
Cancer Treatment
Department
Type
DUNS #
City
State
Country
United States
Zip Code