Elaboration, rationale and clinical benefit of anti-tumor vaccine therapy based on dendritic cells for patients with malignant neoplasms

Summary. The results of clinical testing of anti-cancer vaccines based on dendritic cells (DC) developed at the National Cancer Institute in patients with lung cancer and ovarian cancer have been presented in the article. The study of clinical and immunological efficacy of anti-cancer vaccines based on DC loaded with tumor lysate of cells treated with cytotoxic lectins from B. subtilis B-7025, was carried out within the framework of phase II randomized trials in patients with ovarian cancer, stage III–IV, the cancer vaccine based on DC, loaded mechanical — activated lyophilized tumor cells — within the framework of phase III randomized trial in patients with small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ІІB–ІІІA stages. It was found that the use of DC-vaccines in the treatment of patients with NSCLC and ovarian cancer contributes to a substantial improvement in the results of their treatment. Improvement of 5-year overall survival for NSCLC patients by 25% and ovarian cancer patients by 35% has been registered. Inclusion of the DC-vaccines to the complex treatment of patients with NSCLC and ovarian cancer can restore or enhance anti-tumor immune response of patients. At least, 4 stages of DC-vaccine administrations for the formation of anti-tumor specific immune response were required. The obtained results expand perspective of DC-vaccines usage for patients with other cancers.