Prolongation of Survival in Metastatic Melanoma After Active Specific Immunotherapy With a New Polyvalent Melanoma Vaccine

Abstract

A new polyvalent melanoma cell vaccine (MCV) was administered to 136 stage IIIA and IV (American Joint Committee on Cancer) melanoma patients. Induction of cell-mediated and humoral immune responses to common melanoma-associated antigens present on autologous melanoma cells was observed in patients receiving the new MCV. This was accompanied by increased activation of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes. Survival correlated significantly with delayed cutaneous hypersensitivity (p = 0.0066) and antibody responses to MCV (p = 0.0117). Of 40 patients with evaluable disease, nine (23%) had regressions (three complete). From our historical database of 126 stage IIIA and 1275 stage IV melanoma patients, there were no significant changes in the natural history of metastatic melanoma during the past 20 years. Univariate and multivariate analyses demonstrated prognostic significance for site of metastases (p = 0.0001) and immunotherapy with the new MCV (p = 0.0001). Overall our new MCV increased the median and 5-year survival of stage IIIA melanoma patients with regional soft tissue metastases twofold (p = 0.00024), and stage IV patients threefold (p = 0.0001) compared with previous immunotherapy and other treatments.

Anti-tumour activity against B16-F10 melanoma with a GM-CSF secreting allogeneic tumour cell vaccine

“…12 There are now several reports of allogeneic vaccine efficacy in animal models. [13][14][15][16][17][18] Morton and colleagues 19 have transferred this strategy to the clinic using unmodified allogeneic cells. However, early reports of allogeneic vaccines modified to secrete IL-2 have reported a limited response.…”

Protective immunization against melanoma by gp100 DNA–HVJ-liposome vaccine

“…5 Cancer vaccination may have more prophylactic benefits such as after the surgical removal of melanoma or when tumors are in the early stages of progression (subclinical disease). 21 In general, melanoma patients with AJCC II (local) or III (local regional) level disease will undergo surgical treatment to be disease free. However, the major problem that arises is disease recurrence and who will recur.…”

Allogeneic whole-cell vaccine: a phase I/II study in men with hormone-refractory prostate cancer

“…Such an approach has also shown some responses against melanoma in the clinic [14]. Perhaps allogeneic vaccination can enhance the immunogenicity of tumourassociated antigens [15] and possibly induce a graft vs tumour-like response, which may explain reports of regression of concurrent solid tumours in patients with haematological malignancy who received bone-marrow transplants [16,17].…”