Immunization With Autologous Dendritic Cells and Tumor Lysates in Melanoma Patients

Summary

Implementing this protocol has its ethical justification in that patients with metastatic melanoma, once tumor invasion has reached beyond the lymph node barrier, cannot possibly be treated satisfactorily with traditional surgery methods, radiotherapy, or conventional available chemotherapy. The disseminated tumor is refractory to all standard treatments. Almost 100% of patients who develop distant metastases will die from their disease, either from complications or cachexia. Therefore, immunotherapy based on immunological stimulation with immunocompetent dendritic cells, added to immunological reinforcement with IL-2, can, according to the evidence emanating from ongoing clinical protocols, produce a prolongation of survival with better quality and, in some cases, with partial or total regression of the tumor. General objective: It is to study the clinical and immunological response of patients treated with vaccines based on autologous dendritic cells loaded with tumor antigens, derived from allogeneic melanoma extracts, in combination or not, with intercalated low doses of recombinant human interleukin 2 (rhIL2) PROLEUKIN ® (aldesleukin). MAIN SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE: - SAFETY: Safety in administering dendritic cell preparation; local and systemic toxicity estimation. Determination of adverse reactions such as fever, nausea, allergy, neurological and cardiovascular symptoms. Local toxicity in the administration area. - MEASUREMENT OF THE IMMUNE RESPONSE: Based on in vivo and in vitro parameters: - In vivo response: Measure the type IV Delayed Hypersensitivity (DTH) response. It consists of a crossover test in which the response is compared to tissue interaction in vivo between dendritic cells sensitized with tumor extracts and their respective control unloaded dendritic cells. - In vitro response: ELISPOT assays, measurement of IFN-γ gamma production in peripheral blood of treated patients. Compare the specific immune response after each cycle of therapy through measurement of IFN-γ production by tumor-specific CTL. Cytotoxic radioactive chromium release assays to measure anti-tumor response mediated by CTL and NK. ELISA assays for quantifying cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-10) in patient serum after each cycle of therapy.

Timeline

Start

2001-01-30

Primary completion

2004-10-09

Completion

2004-10-09

Publications

• Background Aguilera R, Saffie C, Tittarelli A, Gonzalez FE, Ramirez M, Reyes D, Pereda C, Hevia D, Garcia T, Salazar L, Ferreira A, Hermoso M, Mendoza-Naranjo A, Ferrada C, Garrido P, Lopez MN, Salazar-Onfray F. Heat-shock induction of tumor-derived danger signals mediates rapid monocyte differentiation into clinically effective dendritic cells. Clin Cancer Res. 2011 Apr 15;17(8):2474-83. doi: 10.1158/1078-0432.CCR-10-2384. Epub 2011 Feb 3.
• Background Duran-Aniotz C, Segal G, Salazar L, Pereda C, Falcon C, Tempio F, Aguilera R, Gonzalez R, Perez C, Tittarelli A, Catalan D, Nervi B, Larrondo M, Salazar-Onfray F, Lopez MN. The immunological response and post-treatment survival of DC-vaccinated melanoma patients are associated with increased Th1/Th17 and reduced Th3 cytokine responses. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2013 Apr;62(4):761-72. doi: 10.1007/s00262-012-1377-3. Epub 2012 Dec 15.
• Background Tittarelli A, Gonzalez FE, Pereda C, Mora G, Munoz L, Saffie C, Garcia T, Diaz D, Falcon C, Hermoso M, Lopez MN, Salazar-Onfray F. Toll-like receptor 4 gene polymorphism influences dendritic cell in vitro function and clinical outcomes in vaccinated melanoma patients. Cancer Immunol Immunother. 2012 Nov;61(11):2067-77. doi: 10.1007/s00262-012-1268-7. Epub 2012 May 3.
• Background Garcia-Salum T, Villablanca A, Matthaus F, Tittarelli A, Baeza M, Pereda C, Gleisner MA, Gonzalez FE, Lopez MN, Hoheisel JD, Norgauer J, Gebicke-Haerter PJ, Salazar-Onfray F. Molecular signatures associated with tumor-specific immune response in melanoma patients treated with dendritic cell-based immunotherapy. Oncotarget. 2018 Mar 30;9(24):17014-17027. doi: 10.18632/oncotarget.24795. eCollection 2018 Mar 30.
• Results Lopez MN, Pereda C, Segal G, Munoz L, Aguilera R, Gonzalez FE, Escobar A, Ginesta A, Reyes D, Gonzalez R, Mendoza-Naranjo A, Larrondo M, Compan A, Ferrada C, Salazar-Onfray F. Prolonged survival of dendritic cell-vaccinated melanoma patients correlates with tumor-specific delayed type IV hypersensitivity response and reduction of tumor growth factor beta-expressing T cells. J Clin Oncol. 2009 Feb 20;27(6):945-52. doi: 10.1200/JCO.2008.18.0794. Epub 2009 Jan 12.

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