Adaptative immunotherapy of advanced solid tumors

Adoptive immunotherapy (AI) of cancer, based upon injection of in vitro manipulated autologous lymphocytes is still in an experimental phase. Based on strong experimental and pre-clinical rationale, our group started different clinical trials of Al in early 1990, and a number of patients with solid tumors (melanoma, kidney carcinoma, non-small-cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, neoplastic pleural effusion, and liver cancer) were treated with either locoregional or systemic adoptive immunotherapy using both LAK and TIL cells in combination with s.c. rIL-2. The surgery/AI combination resulted in good clinical results, characterized by enhanced survival and long lasting disease free periods in a significant number of patients. Nevertheless, at present, new preclinical evidences and strategies are needed to enhance the efficacy of the adoptive immunotherapy approach of solid tumor treatment.