Recent Advances in Cellular Immunotherapy

Dear Colleagues,

In the past decade, academic perseverance and industrial fortitudes revolutionized the positive outcome of cancer therapy and thereby tremendously improving the rate of patient survival. Although it has been kept in the back-burner by the success of novel concoctions of pharmacological compounds, in the past two years cellular immunotherapy has made a roaring comeback. Clinicians and basic scientist alike think and desire of combinatorial and individualized therapies where treatment regimens can be customized to fit with the type and stage of tumor growth. More importantly, the promise of cellular immunotherapy can keep the viciousness of the treatment-related side effects in check. Genetically manipulated lymphocytes including T and NK cells are better than ever in clearing and killing tumor cells. Lymphocytes that are made to express antibody-based Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR) function with a significantly higher affinity compared to using their native receptors. Addition of critical cytokines and their receptors in the mix has realigned the basic immunological rules, resulting in a stronger lymphocyte response against malignancies. Although we can feel the excitement about the recent success in cellular immunotherapy methods on the lab benches and hospital beds, they are yet to reach their prime and still have their perils. Cytokine-release syndrome is a major unwanted side effect that we counter when we genetically amplify the immune response. In the first issue of Medical Sciences, we would like to provide a detailed account of the recent advances made in cellular immunotherapy. The good, the worthy and the bad of cellular immunotherapy in one issue!

Dr. Subramaniam Malarkannan
Guest Editor

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