Study Shows Patient-Specific Cancer Immune Cell Therapy for Brain Tumors
Promising as Adjunctive Therapy
Newport Beach, Calif. – Hoag Hospital announced encouraging clinical study results for the instillation
of a patient-specific cancer immune cell therapy as an adjunctive treatment
for glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). The non-randomized, phase 2 study concluded
that intralesional therapy with autologous lymphokine-activated killer
(LAK) cells is safe and the survival sufficiently encouraging to warrant
further evaluation in a randomized phase 2 trial.
GBM is the most common and deadliest of primary brain tumors. Currently,
surgery is the standard therapy for patients. Administering external beam
radiation therapy (EBRT) and chemotherapy after surgery is known to improve
survival rates. However, despite therapeutic advances, survival rates
for GBM continue to be very low.
The article, entitled: “Intralesional Lymphokine-Activated Killer
Cells as Adjuvant Therapy for Primary Glioblastoma,” appeared in
a recent issue of the Journal of Immunotherapy. Lead investigators in
the study were Christopher Duma, MD, FACS, neurosurgeon and medical director
of the Hoag Brain Tumor Program at the Pickup Family Neurosciences Institute and
Robert O. Dillman, MD, FACP, medical oncologist and cancer immunologist,
as well as executive medical and scientific director at the Hoag Cancer
Center. The study was sponsored by Hoag Hospital Foundation.
“There continues to be a high rate of tumor recurrence in patients
with primary glioblastoma despite advances in treatments, such as chemotherapy,
radiation, and knife radiosurgery. A focus on other local therapies and
immunotherapies that might improve the survival rate for patients with
primary GBM is the next step for identifying treatments that may offer
patients potentially higher survival rates,” said Dr. Dillman.
There were 33 GBM patients enrolled in the clinical trial. Each patient
was treated with their own LAK cells, lymphocytes isolated from the peripheral
blood and stimulated in the Hoag Cell Biology Laboratory with the immune
signaling cytokine interleukin-2 (IL-2). At the time of surgery, the cells
were placed into the surgical cavity. All patients had already undergone
initial surgery, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy for GBM.
The study resulted in median overall survival from diagnosis of 20.5 months.
In recent reports the median survival for patients treated with surgery,
radiation therapy, and temozolomide chemotherapy was 15 months.
The subsequent, recently opened randomized phase II trial compares the
insertion of LAK cell therapy to the insertion of Gliadel® wafters
at the time of a second craniotomy.
About Hoag Cancer Center
Hoag Cancer Center is accredited as a “Comprehensive Community Cancer
Program” by the Commission on Cancer of the American College of
Surgeons, and was designated as “Outstanding” following its
most recent survey. The Center provides a broad array of innovative cancer
treatments as well as patient-centered education and support programs.
As the highest volume provider of cancer care in Orange County, Hoag Cancer
Center manages approximately 2,500 newly diagnosed cancer patients each
year, providing the latest state-of-the-art technology and treatment options.
The center participates in a variety of clinical trials, develops patient-specific
biological treatments in its cell biology laboratory, and provides a wealth
of complementary care programs for patients.
About Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian
Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian (www.hoag.org ) is a 498-bed, non-profit, acute care hospital located in Newport Beach,
Calif. Fully accredited by the Joint Commission and designated as a Magnet
hospital by the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), Hoag offers
a comprehensive mix of health care services, including Centers of Excellence
in cancer, heart and vascular, neurosciences, orthopedics and women’s
health. National Research Corporation has endorsed Hoag as Orange County’s
most preferred hospital for the past 14 consecutive years. And for an
unprecedented 14 years, residents of Orange County have chosen Hoag as
the county’s best hospital in a local newspaper survey. In order
to meet the growing needs of Irvine and South County residents, Hoag will
open an Irvine campus in 2010. Hoag continues to offer additional services
to the community through the seven Hoag Health Centers located throughout
Orange County.