Adoptive immunotherapy of advanced renal cell cancer using PHA-stimulated autologous lymphocytes

Patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, previously failed maximal treatment with standard chemo-hormonal-radiation therapies, were treated with plant lectin phytohemagglutinin (PHA)-stimulated autologous peripheral blood lymphocytes in a 10-year study with a 16-year follow up period. In a phase I-II setting, 52 patients were given subcutaneously 40-80×10 6 PHA-stimulated lymphocytes weekly for 3 weeks and then escalated to a minimum number of 80×10 9 lymphocytes over the next 9 weeks at 3 week intervals. In vitro blastogenesis under study conditions (10 μg/ml PHA for 72 hr) measured by [ 3 H]thymidine uptake was optimal with lymphocyte stimulating indexes approaching 300