Cited by 272Immunotherapy and Immune ResponsesCancer Immunotherapy and BiomarkersT-cell and B-cell Immunology

Therapeutic cancer vaccines: Are we there yet?

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Klebanoff, Christopher A., Acquavella, Nicolas, Yu, Zhiya, Restifo, Nicholas P.·2011·Immunological Reviews

Abstract

Summary: Enthusiasm for therapeutic cancer vaccines has been rejuvenated with the recent completion of several large, randomized phase III clinical trials that in some cases have reported an improvement in progression free or overall survival. However, an honest appraisal of their efficacy reveals modest clinical benefit and a frequent requirement for patients with relatively indolent cancers and minimal or no measurable disease. Experience with adoptive cell transfer‐based immunotherapies unequivocally establishes that T cells can mediate durable complete responses, even in the setting of advanced metastatic disease. Further, these findings reveal that the successful vaccines of the future must confront: (i) a corrupted tumor microenvironment containing regulatory T cells and aberrantly matured myeloid cells, (ii) a tumor‐specific T‐cell repertoire that is prone to immunologic exhaustion and senescence, and (iii) highly mutable tumor targets capable of antigen loss and immune evasion. Future progress may come from innovations in the development of selective preparative regimens that eliminate or neutralize suppressive cellular populations, more effective immunologic adjuvants, and further refinement of agents capable of antagonizing immune check‐point blockade pathways.

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Crossref · 10.1111/j.1600-065x.2010.00979.x

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  • Whole tumor vaccines tend to exhibit poor immunogenicity, and the immune response elicited by these vaccines is often inadequate to confer significant benefits to patients.

    “Additionally, whole tumor vaccines tend to exhibit poor immunogenicity. Consequently, the immune response elicited by these vaccines is often inadequate to confer significant benefits to patients, as demonstrated by the average outcomes observed in previous studies [150].”

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Research works printed but not linked: 7

  1. [58]Madan RA Gulley JL Fojo T Dahut WL Therapeutic cancer vaccines in prostate cancer: the paradox of improved survival without changes in time to progression Oncologist 2010 PMC3228037 20798195
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Authors
Klebanoff, C. A., Acquavella, N., Yu, Z., & Restifo, N. P.
Affiliations
National Institutes of Health (US)
Corresponding author
Restifo, Nicholas P.
Venue
Immunological Reviews
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2010-12-28
Volume
239
Issue
1
Pages
27-44
ISSN
  • 0105-2896 (ISSN-L)
  • 1600-065X
OpenAlex
W2132361489
Cited by
271
References
210
Citations by year
2026: 2 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 11 · 2020: 12 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 16 · 2016: 21 · 2015: 36 · 2014: 22 · 2013: 33 · 2012: 34
FWCI
2.24
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Immunological Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health (Z99 CA999999)
  • National Cancer Institute (ZIABC010763, ZIABC011037)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › Immunotherapy and Immune Responses
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Oncology › Cancer Immunotherapy and Biomarkers
  • Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Immunology › T-cell and B-cell Immunology
Keywords
therapeutic cancer vaccines, adoptive cell transfer, tumor microenvironment, regulatory T cells, myeloid cells, T cell exhaustion, tumor antigen loss, immune evasion, immunoadjuvant, immune checkpoint blockade, metastatic cancer, clinical trial efficacy
MeSH terms
Adjuvants, Immunologic, Antigens, Differentiation, T-Lymphocyte, Antigens, Neoplasm, Humans, Immunotherapy, Neoplasms, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, T-Lymphocyte Subsets, Treatment Outcome, Adoptive Transfer, Cancer Vaccines, Toll-Like Receptors

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