Specific immunotherapy is a promising treatment option for various tumor patients. Immunotherapeutic strategies comprise the vaccination of tumor peptides and immunostimulatory adjuvants, the application of monoclonal and bispecific antibodies as well as the adoptive transfer of non-modified and chimeric antigen receptor- or T cell receptor-engineered T lymphocytes.
The concomitant monitoring of the frequency, phenotype and functional properties of different immune cell populations is of essential importance to understand clinical responses and side effects caused by the treatment. Moreover, immune monitoring enables the identification of novel treatment-related prognostic and predictive biomarkers.
The major task of the immune monitoring unit is the analysis of the phenotype and functional properties of different immune cell populations in the context of clinical trials. Moreover, such studies support the design of improved immunotherapeutic strategies for tumor patients.
