Immune competence may partly determine DC immunotherapy response.(dendritic cell-based immunotherapy for metastatic melanoma)

2003 APR 16 - (NewsRx.com & NewsRx.net) -- Researchers at the University of Queensland suggest assessing melanoma patients' general immune competence before administering dendritic cell-based immunotherapy as this can affect treatment response.

"Metastatic melanoma is poorly responsive to treatment, and immunotherapeutic approaches are potentially beneficial. Predictors of clinical response are needed to identify suitable patients," stated M. Smithers and colleagues.

"We sought factors associated with melanoma-specific clinical response following intradermal vaccination with autologous melanoma peptide and particulate hepatitis B antigen (HBsAg)-exposed immature monocyte-derived dendritic cells (MDDC)," they said.

They administered up to "eight, twice-weekly vaccinations of dendritic cells exposed to HBsAg in addition to autologous melanoma peptides" to 19 patients with metastatic melanoma. Three more patients received the same vaccine, but minus HBsAg.

"Patients were assessed once or twice monthly for safety, disease volume, and cellular responses to HBsAg and melanoma peptide," Smither's group explained.

They reported no significant toxicity in any of the patients.

Nine of the 19 patients who received HBsAg-exposed DC "primed or boosted a cellular response to HBsAg, and 10 showed no HBsAg response," the researchers said. "HBsAg-specific responses were associated with in vitro T-cell responses to melanoma peptides and to phytohemagglutinin (PHA)."