title: Phase IB study of 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) treatment to diminish suppressor cells in head and neck cancer patients.
abstract: Patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) have profound immune defects. These defects are associated with a poor prognosis and are mediated, in part, by an increased number of immune inhibitory CD34(+) progenitor cells in their peripheral blood and tumor. The CD34(+) cells suppress autologous T-cell functions. Our prior work had shown that the differentiation inducer 1alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D(3) could drive the differentiation of CD34(+) cells isolated from HNSCC patients into dendritic cells. A phase IB clinical trial was initiated with HNSCC patients to determine if 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) treatment could diminish CD34(+) cell levels and improve immune function. Six patients per treatment group were orally administered 20 or 40 microg/day 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) for six weeks. Peripheral blood was collected at 0, 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8 weeks, and assessed for markers of immune activity. Although no clinical responses were observed, results of these pilot studies showed that 25-hydroxyvitamin D(3) reduced the presence of immune suppressive CD34(+) cells and improved immune competence of HNSCC patients.
authors.affiliation: Research Service, Hines Veterans Affairs Hospital, Hines, Illinois 60141, USA. dlather@luc.edu
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Lathers
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Achille
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D018952:Antigens, CD34 / Q000032:analysis; D002112:Calcifediol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens / Q000032:analysis; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D018664:Interleukin-12 / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D018952:Antigens, CD34; D006684:HLA-DR Antigens; D018664:Interleukin-12; D002112:Calcifediol