Ethical considerations of cellular immunotherapy for cancer.

Sang-Sang REN; Jing-Wen DENG; Meng HONG; Yan-Li REN; Hai-Jing FU; Yan-Ning LIU; Zhi CHEN

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Ethical considerations of cellular immunotherapy for cancer.

Author: Sang-Sang REN ¹ ; Jing-Wen DENG ² ; Meng HONG ² ; Yan-Li REN ² ; Hai-Jing FU ² ; Yan-Ning LIU ² ; Zhi CHEN ¹
Author Information

1. Health Policy and Hospital Management Research Center, Department of Public Health, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310058, China.
2. State Key Laboratory for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Diseases, Collaborative Innovation Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Infectious Disease, the First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China.
Publication Type:Review
Keywords: Cancer; Cellular immunotherapy; Ethical issue
MeSH: China; Dendritic Cells/immunology*; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Immunotherapy/methods*; Killer Cells, Natural/immunology*; Neoplasms/therapy*; Patient Selection/ethics*; T-Lymphocytes/immunology*
From: Journal of Zhejiang University. Science. B 2019;20(1):23-31
CountryChina
Language:English
Abstract: With the rapid development of immunology, molecular biology, and associated technologies such as next-generation sequencing, cellular immunotherapy has recently become the fourth major cancer treatment. Immunotherapies based on T cells, natural killer cells, and dendritic cells play key roles in cancer immunotherapy. However, their application in clinical practice raises several ethical issues. Thus, studies should focus on proper adherence to basic ethical principles that can effectively guide and solve related clinical problems in the course of treatment, improve treatment effects, and protect the rights and interests of patients. In this review, we discuss cellular immunotherapy-related ethical issues and highlight the ethical practices and current status of cellular immunotherapy in China. These considerations may supplement existing ethical standards in cancer immunotherapy.