Dendritic cells in clinical trials for multiple myeloma

Due to the existence of the truly specific tumor antigen idiotype in multiple myeloma and based on encouraging data from dendritic cell vaccinated B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) patients, dendritic cell-based vaccination was first initiated in myeloma patients in 1995. This overview will summarize published and ongoing clinical trials in patients with multiple myeloma who are treated with idiotype-based dendritic cell (Id/DC) vaccination. All groups of investigators have found that Id/DC vaccination of multiple-myeloma patients is feasible and that myeloma-specific immunity can be induced in heavily pretreated individuals. In future trials, new dendritic cell-based immunization strategies will be investigated based on techniques like RNA transfection of DC.