Open AccessFeasibility study of personalized peptide vaccination for hepatocellular carcinoma patients refractory to locoregional therapies
Author(s) -
Yutani Shigeru,
Shirahama Takahisa,
Muroya Daisuke,
Matsueda Satoko,
Yamaguchi Rin,
Morita Michi,
Shichijo Shigeki,
Yamada Akira,
Sasada Tetsuro,
Itoh Kyogo
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
cancer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.035
H-Index - 141
eISSN - 1349-7006
pISSN - 1347-9032
DOI - 10.1111/cas.13301
Subject(s) - medicine , hepatocellular carcinoma , sorafenib , cohort , adverse effect , refractory (planetary science) , confidence interval , clinical trial , oncology , surgery , gastroenterology , physics , astrobiology
Overall survival of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma ( HCC ) refractory to locoregional therapy is dismal, even following treatment with sorafenib, a multikinase inhibitor. To develop a more efficacious treatment, we undertook a feasibility study of personalized peptide vaccination ( PPV ) for HCC , in which the peptides were selected from 31 peptide candidates based on the pre‐existing immunity. Twenty‐six HCC patients refractory to locoregional therapies (cohort 1) and 30 patients refractory to both locoregional and systemic therapies (cohort 2) were entered into the study. There were no severe adverse events related to PPV except for one injection site reaction. At the end of the first cycle of six vaccinations, successful CTL or IgG boosting was observed in 57% or 46% of patients in cohort 1 and in 54% or 52% of patients in cohort 2, respectively. Successful IgG boosting at the end of the second cycle was observed in the majority of patients tested. Median overall survival was 18.7 months (95% confidence interval, 12.2–22.5 months) in cohort 1, and 8.5 months (95% confidence interval, 5.9–12.2 months) in cohort 2. Based on the higher rates of immune boosting and the safety profile of PPV , further clinical studies of PPV would be warranted for patients with HCC refractory to not only locoregional therapy but also both locoregional and systemic therapies. The protocol of this study was registered with the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry ( UMIN 1882 and UMIN 3590).