autologous cloned lymphocytes

Autologous cloned lymphocytes refer to a personalized cell therapy approach developed by the **National Cancer Institute (NCI)**, specifically within the Surgery Branch led by Dr. Steven Rosenberg. This therapeutic strategy involves isolating specific tumor-reactive lymphocytes (typically T-cells) from a patient with metastatic melanoma, expanding a single high-avidity cell into a large population of identical clones in the laboratory, and then re-infusing them into the patient. This process is usually preceded by a non-myeloablative but lymphodepleting chemotherapy regimen (such as cyclophosphamide and fludarabine) to eliminate regulatory T-cells and competing lymphocytes, creating a favorable environment for the transferred clones to proliferate and attack tumor cells. The treatment is often supplemented with high-dose interleukin-2 (IL-2) to support the survival and activity of the infused cells.

Other names

cloned lymphocytesautologous cloned T cellscloned T-cells