title: Cancer vaccines targeting the HER2/neu oncogenic protein.
abstract: Several advances in basic immunology over the last few years have forced a re-evaluation of cancer vaccine development. The most important finding has been that human tumors are immunogenic. The HER2/neu oncogenic protein is a tumor antigen. Existent antibody, helper T-cell, and cytotoxic T-cell immunity to HER2/neu have been detected in patients with cancer. The HER2/neu protein is an excellent therapeutic target for the immune system. Passive immunotherapy strategies, such as the infusion of monoclonal antibodies specific for HER2/neu, have been shown to be of clinical benefit in patients with HER2/neu-overexpressing malignancies. Inducing an active immune response by generating endogenous HER2/neu-specific antibodies and T cells may result in long-lived immunity and, hopefully, therapeutic benefit. In the majority of patients with pre-existent HER2/neu immunity, the antigen-specific antibodies and T cells detected are of low magnitude. Therefore, vaccine strategies aimed at boosting immunity already present may be effective in generating significant levels of HER2/neu-specific antibodies and T cells.
authors.affiliation: Division of Oncology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-6527, USA.
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Disis
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Schiffman
mesh_terms: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D003110:Colonic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007680:Kidney Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D010051:Ovarian Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000276:immunology*; D014611:Vaccination
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases