title: Tumor-related immunity in prostate cancer patients treated with human recombinant granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Granulocyte monocyte-colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) supports the survival, expansion, and differentiation of lymphoid and myeloid derived dendritic cells (DCs). We hypothesized that systemic therapy with GM-CSF in prostate cancer patients could augment prostate cancer-related immunity and induce clinical response.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive either 125 or 250 microg/m(2) GM-CSF subcutaneously three times a week until clinical progression. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) T cell precursor frequencies were determined by a flow cytometric method.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We were able to show, for the first time, a statistically significant correlation between pre-treatment PSA level and PSA-specific CD4(+) T cell precursors and a trend between pre-treatment PSA level and PSA-specific CD8(+) T cell precursors (P<0.0001 and P=0.059, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that existent immunity to PSA in prostate cancer patients may be a promising target for future immunotherapeutic approaches to prostate cancer.
authors.affiliation: Uro-Oncology Group, Norris Cotton Cancer Center (NCCC) at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC), NH, Lebanon.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Schwaab
authors.forename: Christopher P G
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Tretter
authors.forename: Jennifer J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Gibson
authors.forename: Bernard F
authors.initials: BF
authors.lastname: Cole
authors.forename: Alan R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Schned
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Jan L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Fisher
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Crosby
authors.forename: Laura M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Stempkowski
authors.forename: John A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Heaney
authors.forename: Marc S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Ernstoff
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D011994:Recombinant Proteins
chemical_list: D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D016178:Granulocyte-Macrophage Colony-Stimulating Factor; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen