Targeting the Microenvironment

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Lancet Oncol. 2006 Jun;7(6):480-8.

Immunomodulating drugs for chronic lymphocytic leukaemia.

Chanan-Khan A, Porter CW.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY

14263, USA.

Chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) is a malignant haematological

disorder that remains mostly incurable; more than 95% of patients

have disease of B-cell origin. Advances with targeted agents such as

monoclonal antibodies, antisense therapy, or both these techniques

combined with traditional chemotherapy have improved the frequency of

remission.

The clinical course of CLL is marked by frequent relapse, and there

are limited therapeutic options for patients with relapsed or

refractory disease.

The morphologically mature CLL clone regulates the microenvironment

through modulation of the cytokine milieu that aids its growth and

survival, and has a role in immune escape. Targeting of the tumour-

cell microenvironment has not been investigated as a treatment option

for CLL. Immunomodulating agents are a new class of drugs that change

expression of various cytokines and that costimulate immune effector

cells.

PMID: 16750498 [PubMed - in process]