Combined immunotherapy encompassing intratumoral poly-ICLC, dendritic-cell vaccination and radiotherapy in advanced cancer patients

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Combination immunotherapy has the potential to achieve additive or synergistic effects. Combined local injections of dsRNA analogues (mimicking viral RNA) and repeated vaccinations with tumor-lysate loaded dendritic cells shows efficacy against colon cancer mouse models. In the context of immunotherapy, radiotherapy can exert beneficial abscopal effects.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In this two-cohort pilot phase I study, 15 advanced cancer patients received two 4-week cycles of four intradermal daily doses of monocyte-derived dendritic cells preloaded with autologous tumor lysate and matured for 24h with poly-ICLC (Hiltonol), TNF-α and IFN-α. On days +8 and +10 of each cycle, patients received intratumoral image-guided 0.25 mg injections of the dsRNA-analogue Hiltonol. Cyclophosphamide 600 mg/m² was administered one week before. Six patients received stereotactic ablative radiotherapy (SABR) on selected tumor lesions, including those injected with Hiltonol. Expression of 25 immune-relevant genes was sequentially monitored by RT-PCR on circulating PBMCs and serum concentrations of a cytokine panel were sequentially determined before and during treatment. Pre- and post-treatment PBMC from patients achieving durable stable disease were studied by IFNγ ELISPOT-assays responding to tumor-lysate loaded DC and by TCRβ sequencing.

RESULTS

Combined treatment was, safe and well tolerated. One heavily pretreated castration-resistant prostate cancer patient experienced a remarkable mixed abscopal response to SABR+immunotherapy. No objective responses were observed, while nine patients presented stable disease (five of them in the six-patient radiotherapy cohort). Intratumoral Hiltonol increased IFN-β and IFN-α mRNA in circulating PBMC. DC vaccination increased serum IL-12 and IL-1β concentrations, especially in patients presenting stable disease (SD). IFNγ-ELISPOT reactivity to tumor lysates was observed in two patients experiencing durable SD.

CONCLUSIONS

This radio-immunotherapy combination strategy, aimed at resembling viral infection in tumor tissue in combination with a dendritic-cell vaccine and SABR, is safe and shows immune-associated activity and signs of preliminary clinical efficacy.