The purpose of this study is to determine whether the experimental vaccine "modified CEA peptide CAP 1 -6D" (mCEA) can produce an immune response in patients with pancreatic cancer who have received chemotherapy and radiation therapy.
PC has a dismal prognosis. Despite surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation, most patients with PC will die of distant metastatic disease. Peptide vaccine approaches offer an attractive potential treatment option. Since CEA is expressed in \>90% of PC, it would make an attractive target for a vaccination approach. Several different vaccination approaches have been tested using CEA as a TAA. Although some investigators suggest that DC-based approaches are the most active, they are limited by the need to obtain patient-specific DCs. One attractive approach would be to add GM-CSF to the peptide to recruit endogenous DC to the site of vaccination. There are data on the use of tumor vaccines in advanced PC. Gjerertsen et al. used a K Ras peptide and GM-CSF in 48 patients with advanced PC. 50% of patients showed a peptide specific CTL response (Gjertsen, Buanes et al. 2001). Those that had an immune response had an increased overall survival, The data from phase I and II clinical trials was based on heavily pretreated patients with metastatic disease. The majority of clinical responses have been disease stabilization. The data in B cell lymphoma vaccines suggests that immune responses are more likely to be generated in minimum disease states (Bendandi, Gocke et al. 1999). For patients that have had a complete resection and treatment with adjuvant chemoradiation, and for patients with locally advanced nonresectable disease treated with standard chemoradiation, there is presently no therapy available to decrease the chance of disease reoccurrence. Our hypothesis is that immunization with a modified CEA peptide in Montanide/GM-CSF can lead to expansion of CEA-reactive CTL and result in control of CEA expressing pancreatic carcinomas.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
23
Vaccine contained the modified CEA peptide (10mcg), Montanide ISA-51, and sargramostim (GM-CSF) 250mcg. Vaccine was administered on Day 1 of each 14 day cycle until progressive disease or dose-limiting toxicity for a maximum of 24 cycles. Vaccine administration site was the proximal thigh.
Vaccine contained the modified CEA peptide (100mcg), Montanide ISA-51, and sargramostim (GM-CSF) 250mcg. Vaccine was administered on Day 1 of each 14 day cycle until progressive disease or dose-limiting toxicity for a maximum of 24 cycles. Vaccine administration site was the proximal thigh.
The University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States
Maximum T Cell Response From Baseline
T cell frequency (spots per 10\^4 CD8+ cells) was measured by ELISPOT (Enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot) assay. Blood was collected for this assay at baseline and every 4 weeks for the first 8 cycles. After the eighth cycle, a blood sample was collected at the time of disease progression. The maximum T cell response was calculated as: peak value on treatment - baseline value. A positive value indicates an increase from baseline.
Time frame: baseline and every 4 weeks on treatment
Evidence of Dose Limiting Toxicities of Immunization With Modified CEA (Carcinoembryonic Antigen) Peptide.
Dose-limited toxicity included Grade 2 or higher hemorrhage or allergic reaction or clinical evidence of autoimmune disease. Toxicities were graded according to the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v2.0.
Time frame: participants were followed while they were on study treatment, a median of 8 weeks
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Vaccine contained the modified CEA peptide (1000mcg), Montanide ISA-51, and sargramostim (GM-CSF) 250mcg. Vaccine was administered on Day 1 of each 14 day cycle until progressive disease or dose-limiting toxicity for a maximum of 24 cycles. Vaccine administration site was the proximal thigh.