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Review
Targeting Adult and Pediatric Cancers via Cell-Based Vaccines and the Prospect of Activated B Lymphocytes as a Novel Modality
Christina M. Coughlin and Robert H. Vonderheide
volume 2 | issue 5
sept/oct 2003Pages: 466-470
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The delivery of cell-based vaccines that exploit natural mechanisms of antigen presentation represents a promising approach for immunotherapy of cancer. This strategy tests the hypothesis that ex vivo manipulation and re-injection of cellular products can induce immune responses and circumvent immune incompetence to achieve clinically significant results. Whole or modified tumor cell vaccines and antigen-loaded dendritic cells (DC) are under intense clinical and scientific evaluation, but other cell-based approaches including the use of activated B lymphocytes have shown promise in pre-clinical in vitro models. RNA-transfected CD40-activated B cells may fill a particular need in pediatric cancer patients and other patients in whom DC manufacturing is problematic. Thus far, evidence of immunological activity of cell-based vaccines has surpassed that of clinical efficacy, but recent advances and strong safety data from multiple approaches justifies randomized studies in healthier patients who are more likely to benefit.
We now provide open access to journal articles published online for one year or more. This article may be downloaded at the following link:
Download PDFIf the document does not open, please right-click on the link (control-click on a Macintosh) and select the option to save the file to disk.