Phase II randomized study of vaccine treatment of advanced prostate cancer (E7897): A trial of the Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group

Howard L. Kaufman, Wei Wang, Judith Manola, Robert S. DiPaola, Yoo Joung Ko, Christopher Sweeney, Theresa L. Whiteside, Jeffrey Schlom, George Wilding, Louis M. Weiner

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

226 Scopus citations

Abstract

Purpose: A phase II clinical trial was conducted to evaluate the feasibility and tolerability of a prime/boost vaccine strategy using vaccinia virus and fowlpox virus expressing human prostate-specific antigen (PSA) in patients with biochemical progression after local therapy for prostate cancer. The induction of PSA-specific immunity was also evaluated. Patients and Methods: A randomized clinical trial was conducted by the Eastern Cooperative Oncology group and 64 eligible patients were randomly assigned to receive four vaccinations with fowlpox-PSA (rF-PSA), three rF-PSA vaccines followed by one vaccinia-PSA (rV-PSA) vaccine, or one rV-PSA vaccine followed by three rF-PSA vaccines. The major end point was PSA response at 6 months, and immune monitoring included measurements of anti-PSA and anti-vaccinia antibody titers and PSA-specific T-cell responses. Results: The prime/boost schedule was well tolerated with few adverse events. Of the eligible patients, 45.3% of men remained free of PSA progression at 19.1 months and 78.1% demonstrated clinical progression-free survival. There was a trend favoring the treatment group that received a priming dose of rV-PSA. Although no significant increases in anti-PSA antibody titers were detected, 46% of patients demonstrated an increase in PSA-reactive T-cells. Conclusion: Therapy with poxviruses expressing PSA and delivered in a prime/boost regimen was feasible and associated with minimal toxicity in the cooperative group setting. A significant proportion of men remained free of PSA and clinical progression after 19 months follow-up, and nearly half demonstrated an increase in PSA-specific T-cell responses. Phase III studies are needed to define the role of vaccination in men with prostate cancer or those who are at risk for the disease.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2122-2132
Number of pages11
JournalJournal of Clinical Oncology
Volume22
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - 2004

Funding

FundersFunder number
National Childhood Cancer Registry – National Cancer InstituteU10CA021076

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Oncology
    • Cancer Research

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