Study Shows Cancer Vaccines Led to Long-Term Survival for Patients with Metastatic Melanoma and to Long Periods of Disease Control After Completion of Therapy
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif., July 28 /PRNewswire/ -- Hoag Memorial
Hospital Presbyterian today announced promising data from a
clinical study showing patient-specific cancer vaccines derived
from patients' own cancer cells and immune cells were well
tolerated and resulted in impressive long-term survival rates in
patients with metastatic melanoma whose disease had been minimized
by other therapies.
The study entitled "Phase II Trial of Dendritic Cells Loaded
with Antigens from Self-Renewing, Proliferating Autologous Tumor
Cells as Patient-Specific Anti-Tumor Vaccines in Patients with
Metastatic Melanoma," was published in the June 2009 issue of
Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmaceuticals and was sponsored by
Hoag Hospital Foundation.
"There is continued interest in developing new therapies for
melanoma patients with recurrent or distant metastatic disease at
the time of diagnosis because there are no systemic therapies that
can be relied upon to cure them," said Robert O. Dillman, M.D.,
F.A.C.P., executive medical and scientific director at the Hoag
Cancer Center and lead investigator for the study. "Patients with
metastatic melanoma are at high risk for additional metastases and
death."
During the study, 54 patients with regionally recurrent or
distant metastatic melanoma were injected with a vaccine that
included each patient's own immune cells (dendritic cells) and 500
micrograms of granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF), an
immune stimulator, three times a week and then monthly for five
months for a total of up to eight injections. The patient's
dendritic cells were obtained from their peripheral blood and mixed
with a cell culture of the patient's own melanoma cells that had
been self-renewing and proliferating in the laboratory. The
patient-specific vaccine is designed to stimulate the patient's
immune system to react against tumor stem cells or early progenitor
cells that can create new depots of cancer throughout the
body.
Data showed that the projected five-year survival rate is 54% at
a median follow up of 4.5 years (range 2.4 to 7.4) for the 30
surviving patients. Although not a direct comparison, the results
are superior to those observed following vaccination with
irradiated tumor cells in 48 melanoma patients in a previous trial
(64 vs. 31 months, p=.016). Eight patients in the dendritic cell
vaccine study experienced remarkable long-term, progression-free
survival after completing the vaccine therapy, even though they had
widely metastatic disease and/or repeated appearance of new
metastases despite various therapies. The vaccine treatment was
well-tolerated, with most patients experiencing mild skin
irritation and redness at the injection site.
"The one-year and projected five-year survival rates of 85% and
54%, respectively, are remarkable for melanoma patients with
documented metastatic disease," said Dr. Dillman. "This study is
extremely encouraging and shows the potential these types of
personalized cancer vaccines have for patients diagnosed with
metastatic melanoma."
About Hoag Cancer Center
Hoag Cancer Center is accredited as a "Comprehensive Community
Cancer Program" by the Commission on Cancer of the American College
of Surgeons, and provides a broad array of innovative cancer
treatments as well as patient-centered education and support
programs. As the highest volume provider of cancer care in Orange
County, Hoag Cancer Center manages approximately 2,000 newly
diagnosed cancer patients each year, providing the latest
state-of-the-art technology and treatment options. The center
participates in a variety of clinical trials, develops
patient-specific biological treatments in its cell biology
laboratory, and provides a wealth of complementary care programs
for patients.
About Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian is a 498-bed,
not-for-profit, acute care hospital located in Newport Beach, CA.
Fully accredited by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of
Healthcare Organizations and designated as a Magnet hospital by the
American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Hoag offers a
comprehensive mix of services, including Centers of Excellence in
cancer, heart and vascular, neurosciences, orthopedics and women's
health. National Research Corporation has endorsed Hoag as Orange
County's most preferred hospital for the past 13 consecutive years.
For an unprecedented 13 years, residents have chosen Hoag as the
county's best hospital in a local newspaper survey. In order to
meet the growing needs of Irvine and South County residents, Hoag
will open an Irvine campus in 2010. Hoag continues to offer
additional services to the community through the seven Hoag Health
Centers located throughout Orange County.
Source: Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Posted: July 2009
