Increases in Serum TARC/CCL17 Levels Are Associated with Progression-Free Survival in Advanced Melanoma Patients in Response to Dendritic Cell-Based Immunotherapy

Abstract

Significant qualitative differences were noted in serum cytokine, chemokine, and growth factor levels of metastatic melanoma patients versus the normal controls at baseline. The results also demonstrated a significant decrease in the level of angiogenin (P = 0.026) and a significant increase in TARC/CCLl7 (P = 0.008) from week 0 to week 4 which was associated with improved overall survival (P = 0.059). Higher TARC/CCL17 levels were observed by ELISA at week 4 and a log-rank comparison revealed a significant association between high serum TARC/CCL17 levels at week 4 and progression-free survival (P = 0.005). Receiver-operator characteristic analysis revealed that week 4 serum TARC/CCL17 levels were predictive of progression-free and overall survival, indicating that serum TARC/CCL17 might be of predictive value of response to dendritic cell-based anti-melanoma immunotherapy.

Increased CCL17 serum levels are associated with improved survival in advanced melanoma

“…Low baseline serum levels of CCL17 were associated with improved outcome after peptide vaccination in patients with renal cell cancer [11]. Our observation is in line with a study of Cornforth et al [12] who reported that high serum CCL17 levels were associated with favorable progressionfree survival in advanced melanoma patients in response to a dendritic cell-based therapy.…”

“…Recently, low baseline serum levels of CCL17 were associated with improved outcome after peptide vaccination in patients with renal cell cancer [11]. Conversely, high serum CCL17 levels were associated with progression-free survival in advanced melanoma patients in response to dendritic cell-based therapy [12]. Previous studies further involved the chitinase-like protein YKL-40 in melanoma pathogenesis and disease progression [13,14].…”

Profile fluctuation of peripheral blood in advanced melanoma patients treated with nivolumab

“…5 For instance, melanoma produces various Th2-skewed cytokines, such as thymus and activation-regulated chemokine/CC motif ligand 17. 6 These findings suggest that the improvement of melanomarelated Th2/Tc2 condition may become a target for the additional treatment of nivolumab. It is difficult to predict at which point the therapeutic effect develops.…”

“…In untreated advanced melanoma, the quality of the host immune response has been shown to be compromised with strong bias toward melanoma antigen‐specific Th2‐type polarization . For instance, melanoma produces various Th2‐skewed cytokines, such as thymus and activation‐regulated chemokine/CC motif ligand 17 . These findings suggest that the improvement of melanoma‐related Th2/Tc2 condition may become a target for the additional treatment of nivolumab.…”

Characterization of Interferon-γ–Treated Melanoma Tumor Cells for Use in Dendritic Cell-Based Immunotherapy

“…35 Indeed, serum chemokines, such as CCL17/TARC, produced by DCs in response to the adjuvant GM-CSF have been associated with better progression-free survival rates. 36 Activation of lymphocytes by DCs requires the expression of costimulatory molecules such as CD80 and CD86. 37 As a marker of maturation, CD83 is expressed on mature DCs and is thought to correspond to DCs that can induce a more potent immune response.…”