Vaccine therapy and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

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Vaccine therapy and chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

AG Ramsay and JG Gribben

Best Pract Res Clin Haematol, September 1, 2008; 21(3): 421-36.

Institute of Cancer, Barts and The London School of Medicine, University of

London, Charterhouse Square, London EC1M 6BQ, UK.

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) should be an ideal target for

immune-mediated responses. CLL arises from B cells that can act as

antigen-presenting cells (APCs), expresses unique tumour antigens, and has been

shown to be a target of the allogeneic T cells which mediate a

graft-versus-leukaemia effect. Despite these potential benefits, immune

responses against CLL cells have been difficult to elicit. CLL induces immune

defects in the host, the tumour cells are inefficient APCs, and therapies given

to patients with CLL are themselves immunosuppressive. Successful vaccination

approaches in this disease will require steps to overcome these difficulties,

including identification of the targets of immune responses in this disease to

enable monitoring of the immune response after vaccination, improved

presentation of antigens, and steps to improve the immune defects that accompany

this disease.

PMID: 18790447