title: Dendritic/tumor fusion cells as cancer vaccines.
abstract: A promising cancer vaccine involves the fusion of dendritic cells (DCs) with tumor cells such that a broad array of tumor antigens are presented in the context of DC-mediated costimulation and stimulatory cytokines. In diverse animal models, vaccination with DC/tumor fusions results in protection from an otherwise lethal challenge of tumor cells and eradication of established disease. In phase I clinical studies, vaccination with DC/tumor fusions was well tolerated, and induced immunologic responses in the majority of patients and clinical responses in a subset. Vaccine efficacy may be blunted by the immunosuppressive milieu characteristic of patients with malignancy, including the increased presence of regulatory T cells, and inhibitory pathways such as the PD-1/PDL-1 pathway. A current focus of research interest lies in enhancing response to cancer vaccines, by combining vaccination with tumor cytoreduction, regulatory T-cell depletion, and blockade of critical inhibitory pathways.
authors.affiliation: Division of Hematology Oncology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA 02215, USA. davigan@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Avigan
authors.forename: Jacalyn
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Rosenblatt
authors.forename: Donald
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kufe
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000276:immunology*; D002459:Cell Fusion / Q000379:methods*; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines