This phase II trial studies the immunologic response and side effects of using the WOKVAC vaccine in combination with chemotherapy and HER2-targeted monoclonal antibody therapy before surgery in treating patients with breast cancer. Vaccines like WOKVAC are made from tumor-associated antigens which may help the body build an effective immune response to kill tumor cells. Chemotherapy drugs, such as paclitaxel, work in different ways to stop the growth of tumor cells, either by killing the cells, by stopping them from dividing, or by stopping them from spreading. Trastuzumab and pertuzumab are forms of targeted therapy because they work by attaching themselves to specific molecules (receptors) on the surface of tumor cells, known as HER2 receptors. When trastuzumab and pertuzumab attach to HER2 receptors, the signals that tell the cells to grow are blocked and the tumor cell may be marked for destruction by the body's immune system. Giving the WOKVAC vaccine at the same time (concurrently) with paclitaxel, trastuzumab, and pertuzumab before surgery may kill more tumor cells.
OUTLINE: Patients receive WOKVAC intradermally (ID) on day 13. Treatment repeats for up to 3 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients also receive paclitaxel via infusion on days 1, 8, and 15 or docetaxel intravenously (IV) and carboplatin IV on day 1, and trastuzumab IV and pertuzumab IV on day 1. The chemo and trastuzumab and pertuzumab will most likely be given by the patient's own oncologist per standard of care. Treatment repeats for up to 4 cycles in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients undergo ultrasound imaging or magnetic resonance imaging and biopsy on study and blood sample collection throughout the study. After completion of study treatment, patients are followed up annually for up to 5 years from enrollment.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
25
Given ID
Given via infusion
Given IV
Given IV
Given IV
Given IV
Undergo ultrasound imaging
Undergo biopsy
Undergo blood sample collection
Fred Hutch/University of Washington Cancer Consortium
Seattle, Washington, United States
RECRUITINGEnumeration of the number of T-bet+, CD4+, and CD8+ T-cells in tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) after combination immune-chemotherapy
Tumor tissue will be collected from prior diagnostic tumor biopsies as well as from an ultrasound guided core needle biopsy performed on day 13 of cycle 3. Tumor biopsies collected pre- and post- trial therapy will be processed and evaluated by immunohistochemistry for differences and changes in T cell content and T cell subtype. Specifically, will evaluate the differences in the presence of T-bet+ CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, a T cell subtype recently recognized to influence both the induced human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-specific cellular immunity and clinical outcomes. Changes in the tumor content of T-bet+ CD4+ and CD8+ T cells between the pre- and post-trial therapy time points will be evaluated.
Time frame: Up to completion of surgical resection
Incidence of adverse events
Safety will be assessed per Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version (v)4.0. The type and grade of toxicities noted during the immunization regimen will be summarized. The duration of toxicities will also be summarized using descriptive statistics such as mean and standard deviation. All adverse events noted by the investigator will be tabulated according to the affected body system. The frequency and severity of adverse events will be summarized with a proportion and a 95% confidence interval.
Time frame: Up to 5 years
Induction of type 1 helper cell (Th1) immunity against HER2, IGF-1R, and IGFBP2
Cellular immune response will be defined by the magnitude of the Th1 (interferon-gamma \[IFN-g\]) versus (vs.) type 2 helper cell (Th2) (IL-10) antigen specific immune response using enzyme-linked immunosorbent spot assay (ELISPOT). Immune responses as measured by IFN-g ELISPOT will be summarized with mean and standard deviation or median and range over time, the change over time will be summarized with graphs, and also analyzed using linear mixed-effects regression models with normalizing transformation if necessary. The proportion of study participants who develop immunity to either of the three antigens will be computed and 95% confidence internal would be generated. The induction of Th1 immunity will be compared against the presence or absence of a complete pathologic response to determine if there is a significant correlation using Pearson r correlation analysis.
Time frame: Up to day 13 of cycle 4 (each cycle is 21 days)
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