IMMUNOTHERAPY IN THE TREATMENT OF CANCER

The recent discovery of the molecular structure of tumor antigens expr essed by melanoma cells has contributed to the development of therapeu tic strategies aimed at stimulating anti-tumor immunity, The first cli nical trials in patients with cancer involved systemic administration of interleukin 2 alone or in combination with alpha-interferon or othe r chemotherapy agents. Objective clinical responses were observed in 1 5 to 25% of the patients with melanomas or renal cell cancer, In order to improve these encouraging early results, different-clinical protoc ols are being evaluated with the goal of increasing intra-tumoral conc entrations of the administered cytokines. Better optimization of metho ds for immunizing against specific tumor antigens naturally leads to t he transition from non-specific stimulation of the human immune system to tumor antigen specific immunotherapy.