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The field of allogeneic transplantation has made vast improvements since its inception in 1968. Improvements in supportive care have greatly improved survival. Delayed immune reconstitution, graft versus host disease, and relapse of disease still pose great obstacles. This article has highlighted novel strategies for using cellular therapy in conjunction with hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) that potentially may lead to improved clinical outcomes for patients undergoing HCT in the future.

Defects in cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) function after hemopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) are associated with an increased frequency and severity of viral diseases. Initial investigations of viral infections in immunosuppressed mice and subsequent clinical studies of cytomegalovirus (CMV) and Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in human stem cell transplant patients have suggested that adoptive transfer of virus-specific T cells may restore protective immunity and control established infections. Current efforts focus on optimizing adoptive immunotherapy approaches and developing strategies for generating T cells specific for multiple viruses to provide broader protection., (Copyright 2002 by W.B. Saunders Company.)