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RESEARCH PRODUCT

The T-cell response in patients with cancer

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Publisher Summary The chapter examines several methods to measure human T-cell responses, including ELISPOT analysis, intracellular cytokine staining of immune cells after antigenic stimulation, limiting dilution analysis, conventional cloning, and molecular definition of the T-cell response either in the peripheral circulation or in situ in patients with cancer The chapter presents the cellular immune response in patients with cancer. The chapter explores the recent studies that suggest humoral immunity and T-cell-mediated immunity are closely linked. In addition, most of the data concerning antitumor immune responses have been generated using MHC class I tetramer reagents. The ultimate goal of immunomonitoring in patients with cancer is the association of the biomarkers with the clinical outcome or with response to therapy. The enumeration of MHC-restricted and antigen-specific T cells in patients with cancer allows to address the question of whether the number of antigen-experienced T cells are associated with the disease, or alternatively, with antigen-specific vaccination. The ultimate goal would be that either the number of antigen-specific T cells or the quality of T cells that is, defined by cytokine release, or by homing markers be associated with a good or bad prognosis in the course of the natural disease or predict response to vaccination.