ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the background and current testing of the cellular immunotherapy of cancer in which the lymphokine interleukin-2 may play a pivotal role. If model systems could be extrapolated to clinical cancers, there would be great potential for "tumor-specific cellular immunotherapy. Murine studies suggest that the response may be due to antigen-specific T cells recognizing tumor-specific determinants present on the leukemia and not on normal tissues. Although several laboratory systems have been utilized, reactivity to autologous tumors is often weak or difficult to detect reproducibly. Further molecular and cellular dissection of all steps involved in the process will clarify methods whereby interactions may potentially be controlled for clinical purposes. Nevertheless, even without such detailed information, clinical application of these phenomena is now underway, in large part promoted by preclinical testing in animal models. Without requiring myeloablative therapy and hematopoietic engraftment, transfer of appropriately immunized allogeneic lymphocytes can provide an antitumor effect, possibly akin to a graft vs. leukemia response.
