IMMUNOMODULATION FOLLOWING CHEMOTHERAPY

In the last decade, immunomodulation has emerged as a mode of therapy capable of mediating the regression of cancer in some patients. This a rticle reviews our experience with immunomodulation following transpla nt and non-transplant chemotherapy. We used interferon and cyclosporin e A following conventional chemotherapy in a non-transplant setting fo r a B16 melanoma in a murine model. This combination generated cells w ith MHC-unrestricted cytotoxicity. We have also used immunotherapy in the transplant setting with IL-2 activated PBSC in patients with breas t cancer. Of the 28 patients treated, 20 developed GVHD and the averag e time to reconstitution was 12 days (comparable to a control group). This article also raises the possibility of extending immunomodulation to breast cancer patients in the nontransplant setting to induce an a ntitumor immune response following cytoreductive chemotherapy.