ABSTRACT
Melanoma metastases were harvested from 82 patients for the purpose of growing and expanding tumor derived cytotoxic T lymphocytes (TDAC). TDAC offer the expansion of T lymphocytes, either helper or cytotoxic, which are potentially specific for the patients own tumor-associated antigens. These TDAC have limited reactivity to allogeneic tumor cells and none to normal cells, thus representing a much more individualized approach to cancer biotherapy. The heterogeneity of human cancer is a major impediment to successful cancer therapy. The TDAC technology makes it clear that the technical problems of T cell expansion are being solved. The restimulation by antigen provides the ongoing stimulus needed to maintain selective killing of tumor cells. In tumor biopsy specimens, lymphocytes have been recognized as a component of mononuclear cell infiltrates for many years. The tumor is mechanically minced and placed in cell culture containing 3000 IU of rIL-2/ml.
