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Ex vivo ras peptide vaccination in patients with advanced pancreatic cancer: Results of a phase I/II study
Author(s) -
Gjertsen Marianne K.,
Bakka Arne,
Breivik Jarle,
Saeterdal Ingvil,
GeddeDahl Tobias,
Stokke Kjell T.,
Solheim Bjarte G.,
Egge Tor S.,
Søreide Odd,
Thorsby Erik,
Gaudernack Gustav
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
international journal of cancer
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.475
H-Index - 234
eISSN - 1097-0215
pISSN - 0020-7136
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-0215(19960208)65:4<450::aid-ijc10>3.0.co;2-e
Subject(s) - ex vivo , vaccination , medicine , immune system , pancreatic cancer , peptide , in vivo , peptide vaccine , cancer , antigen , immunology , immunotherapy , oncology , cancer research , biology , epitope , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology
In a pilot phase I/II study we have tested synthetic ras peptides used as a cancer vaccine in 5 patients with advanced pancreatic carcinoma. The treatment principle used was based on loading professional antigen‐presenting cells (APCs) from peripheral blood with a synthetic ras peptide corresponding to the ras mutation found in tumour tissue from the patient. Peptide loading was performed ex vivo and the next day APCs were re‐injected into the patients after washing to remove unbound peptide. Patients were vaccinated in the first and second week and thereafter every 4–6 weeks. In 2 of the 5 patients treated, an immune response against the immunising ras peptide could be induced. None of the patients showed evidence of a T‐cell response against any of the ras peptides before vaccination. The treatment was well tolerated and could be repeated multiple times in the same patient. Side effects were not observed even if an immunological response against the ras peptide was evident. We conclude that ras peptide vaccination according to the present protocol is safe and may result in a potentially beneficial immune response even in patients with advanced malignant disease. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.