title: HER-2/neu as a target for cancer vaccines.
abstract: A novel modality toward the treatment of HER-2/neu-positive malignancies, mostly including breast and, more recently prostate carcinomas, has been the use of vaccines targeting HER-2/neu extracellular and intracellular domains. HER-2/neu-specific vaccines have been demonstrated to generate durable T-cell anti-HER-2/neu immunity when tested in Phase I and II clinical trials with no significant toxicity or autoimmunity directed against normal tissues. Targeting of HER-2/neu in active immunotherapy may involve peptide and DNA vaccines. Moreover, active anti-HER-2/neu immunization could facilitate the ex vivo expansion of HER-2/neu-specific T cells for use in adoptive immunotherapy for the treatment of established metastatic disease. In addition, early data from trials examining the potential use of HER-2/neu-based vaccines in the adjuvant setting to prevent the relapse of breast cancer in high-risk patients have shown promising results. Future approaches include multiepitope preventive vaccines and combinatorial treatments for generating the most efficient protective anti-tumor immunity.
authors.affiliation: Cancer Immunology & Immunotherapy Center, Saint Savas Cancer Hospital, Athens, Greece. baxevanis@ciic.gr
authors.forename: Constantin N
authors.initials: CN
authors.lastname: Baxevanis
authors.forename: Ioannis F
authors.initials: IF
authors.lastname: Voutsas
authors.forename: Angelos D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Gritzapis
authors.forename: Sonia A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Papamichail
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology*; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000276:immunology*; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D005544:Forecasting; D018734:Genes, erbB-2; D006801:Humans; D016233:Immunotherapy, Active; D016219:Immunotherapy, Adoptive; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology / Q000628:therapy; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000276:immunology; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000276:immunology*; D013602:T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / Q000276:immunology / Q000637:transplantation; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D019444:Vaccines, DNA / Q000627:therapeutic use; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D010446:Peptide Fragments; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D019444:Vaccines, DNA; D022223:Vaccines, Subunit; D014614:Vaccines, Synthetic; C474513:HER-2 peptide E75 (369-377), human; C508053:ERBB2 protein, human