Clinical implications of the new biology in the development of melanoma vaccines.
There has been a resurgence in clinical research of vaccine therapies, particularly for the treatment of melanoma. The renewed interest in this field is attributable to an increased understanding regarding the immune response to tumors and the immunobiology of melanoma. Molecular biology techniques have enabled investigators to develop genetically engineered tumor vaccines that are intended to favor the type 1 immune response over the type 2 response. Melanoma-associated antigens have been characterized at the molecular level and are currently being investigated in clinical trials. Dendritic cell biology has also provided a potent method to present antigens to the host for immunization. Lastly, vaccines are being explored as a method to generate immune T-cells for adoptive immunotherapy. These new areas of clinical investigation will be reviewed in the context of the historical developments that have laid the foundations of this field.
Hemmila
M R
MR
Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA.
Chang
A E
AE
D000818:Animals; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D003713:Dendritic Cells; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000096:biosynthesis; D015793:HLA-B7 Antigen; D006801:Humans; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000096:biosynthesis; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008545:Melanoma / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000517:prevention & control*; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000096:biosynthesis; D058951:gp100 Melanoma Antigen
D001500:BCG Vaccine; D016827:CD8 Antigens; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D015793:HLA-B7 Antigen; D007376:Interleukin-2; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; C548637:PMEL protein, human; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D058951:gp100 Melanoma Antigen; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor