Cellular Immunotherapy After Autologous Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation: Experimental Strategies and Clinical Experiences

Abstract

Recurrence of disease after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation is at least partly due to contamination of the reinfused transplant with tumor cells, thereby limiting the clinical outcome after transplantation. On the other hand, immunological effector cells are capable of purging bone marrow transplants in vitro and of destroying disseminated tumor cells in vivo. Cellular immunotherapy subsequent to autologous stem cell transplantation is therefore expected to have a major impact on recurrence rates of the disease. In this review, we present various strategies utilizing immunologic effector cells for elimination of disseminated tumor cells and discuss the advantages and limitations of cellular immunotherapy after autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.

• Immunotherapy
• Stem Cell Transplantation
• Immunoreceptor
• Nkt Cells
• Dendritic Cells