Melanoma-associated antigen-A3 vaccination in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. (March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Adam, Valerie; Wauters, Isabelle; Vansteenkiste, Johan
• Is Part Of: Expert opinion on biological therapy. Volume 14:Number 3(2014:Mar.)
• Page Start: 365
• Page End: 376
• Publication Date: 2014-03
• Subjects: Gene therapy -- Periodicals; Protein drugs -- Periodicals; Peptide drugs -- Periodicals; Immunotherapy -- Periodicals; Drug delivery systems -- Periodicals; 615.5
• DOI: 10.1517/14712598.2014.880421
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1471-2598

Abstract

<abstract> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <p> <bold> <italic>Introduction:</italic> </bold> Lung cancer is a common health problem with a bad prognosis, despite recent advances in its treatment. Antigen-specific immunotherapy implies the administration of tumor-specific antigens with an immunostimulant to induce a powerful antitumor immune response, which has shown to be capable of eliminating tumor cells. Melanoma-associated antigen <ext-link ext-link-type="uri" xlink:href="http://informahealthcare.com/action/doSearch?type=advanced&displaySummary=true&displaySummary=true&field1=keywords&text1=(MAGE)A3&logicalOpe1=OR&field2=articletitle&text2=(MAGE) A3&logicalOpe2=AND&field3=all&text3=&search=Search&categoryId=41010274&categoryId=40002416&categoryId=40004717&categoryId=40004717&filter=multiple&AfterMonth=1&AfterYear=&BeforeMonth=12&BeforeYear=&sortBy=date&nh=20" xlink:type="simple" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">(MAGE) A3</ext-link> is a good antigen to use in antigen-specific immunotherapy, since it is aberrantly expressed in cancer cells, but not expressed in normal tissue, except in germline and placental cells.</p> <p> <bold> <italic>Areas covered:</italic> </bold> Trials have been performed with the MAGE-A3 vaccine in the adjuvant setting after resection of non-small-cell lung cancer. They have shown that the MAGE-A3 vaccine is safe and well tolerated, with promising signs of clinical benefit, especially in patients expressing a specific gene signature. Outcome data are currently expected of a large Phase III randomized controlled trial in the same setting.</p> <p> <bold> <italic>Expert opinion:</italic> </bold> The future is hopeful for antigen-specific immunotherapy in general and MAGE-A3 vaccine in specific. Further research needs to identify new tumor-specific antigens, more potent adjuvants and genetic profiles suggestive of a better response toward antigen-specific immunotherapy. The MAGE-A3 vaccine has to be investigated in other settings than the adjuvant one and in other tumor types expressing MAGE-A3.</p> </abstract>