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Immunotherapy for EBV-associated malignancies

  • Progress in Hematology
  • Cancer immunology
  • Published:
International Journal of Hematology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Since 1995 to date, more than 250 patients with EBV-related diseases received virus-specific CTL. Cell therapy proved to be safe and effective, and achieved some complete remissions also in patients who failed all previous standard treatments. The first clinical results with EBV-specific CTL were obtained for both prophylaxis and treatment of post-transplant lymphoproliferative disease arising in stem cell transplant or solid organ transplant recipients. Based on such encouraging results, the same approach was then extended to other EBV-related diseases, namely Hodgkin’s lymphoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and chronic active infection. Nowadays, the modification of the CTL generation protocols and the introduction of new specificities into EBV-specific CTL lines by chimeric antigen receptor transfer allow targeting other viral infections and also non-EBV related malignancies. Aim of this review is to summarize clinical results obtained thus far in adoptive cell therapy approaches with EBV-specific CTL. Moreover, by analyzing ongoing clinical trials, we also provide some insights on the potential future of a successful and paradigmatic history.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oncology and Surgical Sciences, University of Padova, Via Gattamelata, 64, 35128, Padua, Italy

    Anna Merlo, Riccardo Turrini, Paola Zanovello & Antonio Rosato

  2. Cancer Bio-Immunotherapy Unit, Department of Medical Oncology, CRO, IRCCS, National Cancer Institute, Aviano, Italy

    Riccardo Dolcetti

  3. Istituto Oncologico Veneto, IOV-IRCCS, Padua, Italy

    Paola Zanovello & Antonio Rosato

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  1. Anna Merlo
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  2. Riccardo Turrini
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  3. Riccardo Dolcetti
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  4. Paola Zanovello
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  5. Antonio Rosato
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Correspondence to Antonio Rosato.

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Merlo, A., Turrini, R., Dolcetti, R. et al. Immunotherapy for EBV-associated malignancies. Int J Hematol 93, 281–293 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-011-0782-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12185-011-0782-2

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