Targeting the immune microenvironment in mantle cell lymphoma: implications for current and emerging therapies

Abstract

Mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) is a morphologically and phenotypically heterogeneous subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, and has historically been associated with poor outcomes. However, recent advances in our understanding of this disease have yielded new targeted and immune-based therapies with promising activity. Immune-based therapies such as monoclonal antibodies, immunomodulators, and CAR T cells have significantly improved outcomes and are now standard of care in MCL. In this review, we describe our current understanding of the immune microenvironment of MCL, discuss current immunotherapeutic approaches, and highlight promising novel immune-based therapies and combination therapies that may further improve outcomes for patients with MCL.

Keywords:

• Mantle cell lymphoma
• immunotherapy
• microenvironment
• immunomodulators
• cellular therapy

Acknowledgements

The writers would like to thank Gilles Salles for his critical review of this manuscript.

Disclosure statement

DQ and ZEP declare no relevant/competing financial interests. AK has received research funding from Abbvie Pharmaceuticals, Adaptive Biotechnologies, Celgene, Pharmacyclics, Seattle Genetics, Astra Zeneca. She has received honoraria from Janssen, Kite, OncLive and Expert Perspecives in MCL. She has served on the advisory board or steering committee for Kite Pharmaceuticals and Astra Zeneca.

Additional information

Funding

This work was funded in part through the NIH/NCI Cancer Center Support Grant P30 CA008748. ZDE-P receives support from the American Association of Cancer Research, the Lymphoma Research Foundation, and the AIDS Malignancy Consortium.