Using allogeneic stem cell/T-cell grafts to cure hematologic malignancies

Background: Allogeneic stem cell and T-cell-based therapies are widely used in the treatment of hematologic malignancies and can treat or cure otherwise refractory disease. However, in spite of major advances in the understanding and practice of allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT), several important challenges remain. Objective: Here the authors review the use of allogeneic HCT and T-cell-based therapy, with the goal of providing an overview of the uses and limitations of this approach as well as a survey of areas of active research. Methods: The authors review and summarize recent publications and expert opinions in the field of allogeneic HCT, along with a brief historical perspective, with a focus on challenges and recent advances in the field. Results/conclusion: Present areas of research include efforts to expand the donor pool through the use of umbilical cord blood and human leukocyte antigen-haploidentical donors, the use of reduced-intensity conditioning regimens, which allow treatment of previously ineligible patients, enhancement of immune reconstitution after transplantation, more effective prevention and treatment of acute and chronic graft-versus-host disease, and the augmentation of the immunologic graft-versus-tumor response and its uncoupling from deleterious graft-versus-host alloreactivity.