The promise of T-lymphocyte immunotherapy for the treatment of malignant disease.

Exciting developments in basic immunology and tumor biology have increased our understanding of mechanisms of interactions between tumor cells and the immune system. The rapid translation of bench research to clinical applications has led to immense progress in the field of cellular immunotherapy. The rationale for the use of T cells for adoptive transfer is that tumors are immunogenic and that the transferred cells have the capacity to recognize tumor cells and elicit an immune response that leads to specific tumor cell killing. Additionally, adoptive therapy may have a role in replacing, repairing, or enhancing the immune function damaged as a consequence of cytotoxic therapy for the malignant disease itself.