Vaccination with hybrids of tumor and dendritic cells induces tumor‐specific T‐cell and clinical responses in melanoma stage III and IV patients

Hybrid cell vaccination was developed as therapeutic approach that aims at stimulating tumor‐specific cytotoxic T‐cell responses in cancer patients using hybrids of autologous tumor and allogeneic dendritic cells. We tested this concept and the efficacy of the vaccines in inducing clinical and immunologic responses in a clinical trial with melanoma stage III and IV patients. Of the 17 patients evaluated, 1 experienced a complete response, 1 a partial response and 6 stable disease with remarkably long survival times. In 11 of 14 patients analyzed, high‐frequency T‐cell responses to various tumor‐associated T‐cell epitope were induced and detectable in the peripheral blood. These immune responses were detected in clinical response patients as well as nonresponders. Failures of clinical responses in all the cases investigated correlated with loss of antigen expression and presentation. Hybrid cell vaccination thus proves effective in inducing tumor‐specific T‐cell responses in cancer patients. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.