title: Update on Mucin-1 immunotherapy in cancer: a clinical perspective.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Mucin 1 (MUC1) is particularly well suited as a cancer immunotherapy target due to the elevated protein expression and aberrant forms associated with malignancy. A variety of therapeutic strategies have been explored, including antibodies intended to induce cancer cell destruction, and vaccinations with peptides, tumor extracts, and gene expression systems.
  
  
  METHODS
  MUC1 immunotherapeutic strategies have included vaccination with peptide sequences, glycan molecules, viruses, and dendritic cells, monoclonal antibodies and monoclonal antibody conjugates. Here we review the relevant clinical trials in each field of immunotherapy with particular focus on large and recently published trials.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long clinical experience in the trial setting has reduced concerns of immunotherapy associated toxicities and inappropriate immune responses, with the main limitation (common to many experimental approaches) being a lack of clinical efficacy. However, there have been sufficient treatment-associated responses to justify continued pursuit of MUC1 targeted immunotherapies. The focus now should be on application to the relevant cancers under appropriate circumstances and combination with the emerging non-specific immunotherapy approaches such as the PD-1 pathway inhibitors.
authors.affiliation: a 1 Austin Health, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre , Studley Rd, Heidelberg VIC 3084, Australia.
authors.forename: Gareth
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rivalland
authors.affiliation: b 2 Burnet Institute, Centre for Biomedical Research , Melbourne VIC 3004, Australia.
authors.forename: Bruce
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Loveland
authors.affiliation: c 3 Austin Health, Level 4, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre , Studley Rd, Heidelberg VIC 3084, Australia +613 94 96 57 63 ; +613 94 57 66 98 ; paul.mitchell@austin.org.au.
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000276:immunology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm / Q000276:immunology; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods; D003713:Dendritic Cells / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D007167:Immunotherapy / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D018396:Mucin-1 / Q000276:immunology*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000276:immunology* / Q000628:therapy*
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000951:Antigens, Neoplasm; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D018396:Mucin-1
keywords: Mucin 1; cancer vaccines; clinical trials; dendritic cells; immunotherapy; monoclonal antibodies; viral vectors