Adoptive immunotherapy for acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia: a long-term follow up

Immune cells cultured in vitro against autologous blast cells were infused twice in 8 patients with ANLL after achieving complete remission. 3 of the 8 patients remained in first remission for 74-94 months and they appeared to be cured of their leukaemia. These 3 patients received significantly higher numbers of in vitro sensitized immune cells as well as having a better recovery of the in vitro cultured cells. The other 5 patients relapsed within a year of diagnosis; 3 of them had had organomegaly and a preceding myeloproliferative disorder at diagnosis. None of 20 ANLL patients in complete remission treated simultaneously with similar chemotherapy at our institution remained in first complete remission, nor were long-term survivors. Adoptive immunotherapy with in vitro sensitized immune cells may be effective treatment in acute leukaemia. The therapeutic potential of infusion of in vitro stimulated autologous immune cells requires further investigation.