Review
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World J Clin Oncol. Nov 10, 2010; 1(1): 29-34
Published online Nov 10, 2010. doi: 10.5306/wjco.v1.i1.29
Autograft mediated adoptive immunotherapy of cancer in the context of autologous stem cell transplantation
Luis F Porrata, Svetomir N Markovic
Luis F Porrata, Svetomir N Markovic, Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United States
Author contributions: Porrata LF wrote and reviewed the manuscript; Markovic SN reviewed the manuscript.
Correspondence to: Luis F Porrata, MD, Assistant Professor, Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. SW, Rochester, MN 55905, United State. porrata.luis@mayo.edu
Telephone: +1-507-2843158 Fax: +1-507-2664972
Received: March 24, 2010
Revised: July 15, 2010
Accepted: July 22, 2010
Published online: November 10, 2010
Abstract

The infused stem cell autograft in autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) has been viewed mainly as hematologic rescue from the myelosuppressive side effect of conditioning regimens. However, recent reports have shown that the immune effector cells collected at the same time as the stem cells can produce an autologous graft-versus-tumor effect, similar to the graft-versus-tumor effect seen in allogeneic stem cell transplantation without the detrimental effects of graft-versus-host disease. In this article, we review the different immune effector cells collected and infused from the stem cell autograft and their association with clinical outcome post-ASCT, suggesting that ASCT can be viewed not only as a therapeutic maneuver to recover bone marrow function after deliver high-dose chemotherapy, but also as an adoptive immunotherapeutic intervention capable of eradicating residual tumor cells in patients with cancer.

Keywords: Adoptive immunotherapy, Autologous graft versus tumor effect, Autograft