title: Prostate cancer vaccines: current status.
abstract: Recent insights into cell-mediated immunotherapy have led to a wave of new trials involving immunotherapy for prostate cancer. Vaccines have evolved from nonspecific immune stimulants like Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) to much more specific and potent strategies. Techniques currently being investigated include passive immunotherapy with monoclonal antibodies, adoptive transfer of activated effector T cells, and active immunotherapy involving immunization with whole-cell or antigen-specific vaccines. These therapies are being modified with cytokines and other immune modulating agents. Understanding the mechanisms of antitumor immunity and identifying relevant tumor-specific antigens will likely improve these vaccine strategies and provide them with a niche in the future of prostate cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Oncology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fein
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Levitsky
authors.forename: W G
authors.initials: WG
authors.lastname: Nelson
mesh_terms: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D001500:BCG Vaccine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D016207:Cytokines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007167:Immunotherapy; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D008297:Male; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000628:therapy*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D014612:Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000276:Adjuvants, Immunologic; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D001500:BCG Vaccine; D016207:Cytokines; D014612:Vaccines