Locoregional immunotherapy in cancer patients: Review of clinical studies

Many patients with invasive cancer have a compromised immune system. This i mmune dysfunction does appear to start at the site of the tumor. Locoregion al immunotherapy is given to stimulate the immune system in order to kill t umor cells either indirectly via a specific or a non-specific way or direct ly via cell transfer therapy. Advantages to give this immunotherapy locoreg ionally in stead of systemically are a higher concentration of the immunomo dulator at the site of the tumor, to attract or activate effector cells, an d diminished toxicity. In this review we have summarised the clinical studi es using loco-regional immunotherapy in patients with cancer. Only phase I and II studies were performed. Clinical responses were seen. No single loco regional treatment has become a standard therapy. Relatively few investigat ions were performed to estimate the influence on the locally effector mecha nisms or immune dysfunction. In future clinical trials it is essential to g et a better insight in these mechanisms.