Relationship between immune response to melanoma vaccine immunization and clinical outcome in stage II malignant melanoma

Abstract

The authors investigated whether there was a relationship between the induction of a delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) response to melanoma vaccine immunization and disease recurrence. They studied prospectively 94 evaluable patients with surgically resected Stage I1 malignant melanoma who were immunized to a partially purified, polyvalent, melanoma antigen vaccine. The DTH response to skin tests to the vaccine was measured before treatment and at the fourth vaccine immunization. Vaccine treatment induced a strong DTH response in 29 (31%) patients, an intermediate response in 24 (25%), and no response in 41 (44%). The median diseasefree survival (DFS) of patients with a strong, intermediate, and no DTH response to vaccine immunization was more than 72 months, 24 months, and 15 months, respectively. The relationship between an increase in the DTH response and a prolonged DFS was statistically significant (P = 0.02); clinically meaningful (the median DFS of patients with a strong DTH response was 4.7 years longer than that of nonresponders); and, by multivariate analysis, independent of disease severity or overall immune competence. These findings suggest, but do not prove, that vaccine treatment can slow the progression of melanoma in some patients.

Jean-Claude Bystryn 1938-2010. An obituary

“…He and his colleagues identified and purified several melanoma antigens and prepared a vaccine that augmented anti‐melanoma humoral and/or cellular immunity in over 50% of patients [27‐30]. The disease‐free and overall survival of vaccine‐treated patients with surgically resected stage II disease was 40‐50% longer than that of historical controls [31,32]. The results of a double‐blind and placebo‐controlled trial suggested that immunization with a melanoma vaccine may be able to slow the progression of melanoma [33].…”

Μέθοδοι Ενίσχυσης Της Κυτταροτοξικής Ικανότητας Λεμφοκυττάρων Έναντι Καρκινικών Κυττάρων-Στόχων

“…Το συγκεκριμένο ¨εμβόλιο¨ διαθέτει όλα τα δυνατά καρκινικά αντιγόνα. Ο στόχος του εμβολιασμού είναι η in vivo ενεργοποίηση των βοηθητικών και κυτταροτοξικών Τ λεμφοκυττάρων, τα οποία αποτυγχάνουν να ενεργοποιηθούν εξαιτίας της έλλειψης ικανού αριθμού καρκινικών κυττάρων (ή καρκινικών αντιγόνων) in situ (Bystryn et al, 1992). Ο εμβολιασμός έχει σαν αποτέλεσμα την ενεργοποίηση των Τ λεμφοκυττάρων μέσω των οδών που έχουν προαναφερθεί.…”