Dendritic cell immunotherapy

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration's approval of the first cell-based immunotherapy has rejuvenated interest in the field. Early clinical trials have established the ability of dendritic cell (DC) immunotherapy to exploit a patient's own immune system to induce antitumor immune responses. However, suboptimal conditions for generating potent immunostimulatory DCs, in addition to the suppression mediated by the tumor microenvironment, have contributed to limited clinical success in vivo. Therefore, combining DC vaccines with new approaches that enhance immunogenicity and overcome the regulatory mechanisms underlying peripheral tolerance may be key to achieving effective, durable, antitumor immune responses that translate to better clinical outcomes.