Melanoma Vaccine Results in Immune Response

In a trial involving 26 melanoma patients with advanced disease, a vaccine has resulted in an immune response in 75% of the patients and was accompanied by some tumor regression. These results were reported in the November 1, 2003, issue of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

In the trial, the 26 patients with stage III or IV melanoma received six vaccinations of a mixture of four melanoma peptides developed at the University of Virginia (Charlottesville, USA; www.virginia.edu), followed by a tetanus helper peptide and low-dose interleukin-2. In half of the patients, the peptides were injected in an emulsion that included granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GMCSF). In the other half, the peptides were injected after being pulsed on dendritic cells. The results showed that the immune response was greater in patients vaccinated with the GMCSF emulsion. Cytotoxic T-cells were observed in the lymph nodes draining the vaccine site in 80% of the GMCSF arm and in peripheral blood of 42%. In contrast, T-cell responses were observed in only 13% of patients vaccinated with dendritic cells and in 11% of those patients' peripheral blood.

"There have been significant tumor regressions on this protocol of peptide vaccines against melanoma,” said Craig L. Slingluff, Jr., professor of surgery and director of the Human Immune Therapy Center at the University of Virginia. "This gives us hope that this approach may be useful for patients with advanced disease.”




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