Biol Blood Marrow Transplant. 2017 Nov 1. pii: S1083-8791(17)30804-2. doi: 10.1016/j.bbmt.2017.10.035. [Epub ahead of print]

Cellular Immunotherapy for Haematological Malignancies: Beyond Bone Marrow Transplant.

Cirillo M, Tan P, Sturm M, Cole C.

Abstract

Immunotherapy has changed treatment practices for many haematological malignancies. Despite the current era of targeted therapy, chemotherapy remains the backbone of treatment for many haematological malignancies, especially in acute leukaemia, where relapse remains the major cause of mortality. Application of novel immunotherapies in haematology attempts to harness the killing power of the immune system against leukaemia and lymphoma. Cellular immunotherapy is evolving rapidly for high risk haematological disorders. Recent advances include chimeric antigen receptor T-cells, mesenchymal stromal/stem cells, dendritic cell tumour vaccines, cytokine induced killer cells and virus-specific T-cells. The advantages of non-transplant cellular immunotherapy include use in patients where transplantation has failed or is contra-indicated, and offer a potentially less toxic treatment alternative for relapsed/refractory patients than transplantation. This review examines those emerging cellular immunotherapies that are changing treatment paradigms for patients with haematological malignancies.