Immunotherapy in pediatric oncology - Into the twenty-first century

The search for effective ways to manipulate the immune system in an active or passive manner to combat malignancy has been compared with the search fo r the Holy Grail. The interferons and IL-2 have shown promise in various cl inical trials. More recently, cellular forms of immunotherapy are showing p romising results, specifically a graft versus leukemia effect in bone marro w transplantation and the generation of cell Lines, which are cytotoxic to Epstein-Barr virus-associated lymphomas post-transplant. in addition, the u se of dendritic cells to generate cancer vaccines has been accomplished. Th is article outlines the progress that has been made, and shows where the fu ture lies.