Dissemin is shutting down on January 1st, 2025

Published in

MDPI, Cancers, 21(14), p. 5299, 2022

DOI: 10.3390/cancers14215299

Links

Tools

Export citation

Search in Google Scholar

Immunomodulatory Effects of Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy and Vaccination with Heat-Killed Mycobacterium Obuense (IMM-101) in Patients with Locally Advanced Pancreatic Cancer

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

Full text: Download

Green circle
Preprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Postprint: archiving allowed
Green circle
Published version: archiving allowed
Data provided by SHERPA/RoMEO

Abstract

Background: Patients with locally advanced pancreatic cancer (LAPC) are treated with chemotherapy. In selected cases, stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) can be added to the regimen. We hypothesized that adding an adjuvant containing a heat-killed mycobacterium (IMM-101) to SBRT may lead to beneficial immuno-modulatory effects, thereby improving survival. This study aims to investigate the safety of adding IMM-101 to SBRT and to investigate the immuno-modulatory effects of the combination treatment in the peripheral blood of LAPC patients. Methods: LAPC patients were treated with SBRT (40 Gy) and six intradermal vaccinations of one milligram IMM-101. The primary endpoint was an observed toxicity rate of grade 4 or higher. Targeted gene-expression profiling and multicolor flow cytometry were performed for longitudinal immune-monitoring of the peripheral blood. Results: Twenty patients received study treatment. No treatment-related adverse events of grade 4 or higher occurred. SBRT/IMM-101 treatment induced a transient decrease in different lymphocyte subsets and an increase in CD14+CD16−CD11b+HLA−DRlow myeloid-derived suppressor cells. Importantly, treatment significantly increased activated ICOS+, HLA-DR+ and Ki67+PD1+ T and NK cell frequencies. This was not accompanied by increased levels of most inhibitory markers, such as TIM-3 and LAG-3. Conclusions: Combination therapy with SBRT and a heat-killed mycobacterium vaccine was safe and had an immune-stimulatory effect.