T lymphocyte immunotherapy in patients with cancer

Several experimental developments in the last 20 years have hallmarked progress in understanding the cellular and molecular basis of the immune response to cancer. Identification of 30 tumor antigens associated from some expressed proteins in neoplastic cells are used as targets of immune response cells. Multiple studies have proved in vitro and in animal models that specific clones of lymphocytes T CD4+ and CD8+ recognize the tumoral immunogenic-oligopeptides and carry out the principal effecting phase in anti-tumor response. Positive immunomodulation of recognition and effecting phases have obtained objective anti-tumoral response in these experimental models. Similar strategies have been used in immunotherapy cancer patient clinical trails and have demonstrated partial objective responses. Current studies emphasize identification of new tumor molecular-antigens, in understanding new tumor mechanisms enabled to escape immunologic attack and in use of positive immunomodulation in patients with non-advanced cancer. Over the coming years, we will be surprised at the impact of this type of anti-tumor treatment.