Contribution of immunotherapy for the treatment of T-cell lymphomas of theskin

Definition: T-cell lymphomas localized predominantly or primarily in skin c omprise a heterogeneous group of tumors. The most frequent is fungoid mycos is. T-cell tumors and growth factors: When growth factors of T-cell tumors, par ticularly IL-7 and IL-5, were identified, it became possible to grow T-cell tumoral clones in long-term in vitro cultures used to evidence anti-tumora l cellular immune reactions in T-cell skin cancers. Reactional T-cell clone s with specific anti-tumoral reactions can be expaned ex vivo. This advance has made it possible to identify tumoral antigens and better understand th e mechanisms leading to tumoral escape from anti-tumoral defense systems. Therapeutic perspectives: It is now possible to develop immunotherapy strat egies based on reinjection of T lymphocytes with specific cytotoxic activit y after ex vivo expansion. Injections of immunogenic pep tides associated o r not with dendritic cells or injection of DNA coding for these tumor antig ens are other possibilities.