Background: Adoptive immunotherapy (AI) of cancer, based upon the injection of in vitro manipulated autologous lymphocytes is still in an experimental phase. Our group started different clinical trials of AI in early 1990, and, at present, some specific targets for this approach seem to have been identified.
Patients and methods: 296 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 (AI) using both LAK and TIL cells in combination with s.c. rIL-2.
Results: 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.
Conclusions: AI seems to be efficacious in the treatment of melanoma, lung and hepatic cancers. Further studies will expand the application of the treatment to other malignancies.