Clinical Trial: Biological Therapy in Treating Patients With Metastatic Cancer

Study Status: Completed
Recruit Status: Completed
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: A Phase I Study of Active Immunotherapy With Carcinoembryonic Antigen RNA-Pulsed, Autologous Human Cultured Dendritic Cells in Patients With Metastatic Malignancies Expressing Carcinoembryonic Antigen

Brief Summary:

RATIONALE: Biological therapies use different ways to stimulate the immune system and stop cancer cells from growing.

PURPOSE: Phase I trial to study the effectiveness of biological therapy in treating patients who have metastatic cancer that has not responded to previous treatment.


Detailed Summary:

OBJECTIVES: I. Determine the safety and dose limiting toxicity of an intravenous vaccine of autologous, cultured, dendritic cells pulsed with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) RNA in patients with metastatic adenocarcinoma expressing CEA. II. Assess the cellular immune response to the CEA protein. III. Assess the clinical and biochemical response to the treatment and the duration of such response.

OUTLINE: This a three tiered, open label, uncontrolled, dose escalation study. The first 3 patients receive a low dose of intravenous carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) RNA-pulsed autologous dendritic cells (DC) at weeks 0, 1, 2, and 3. Patients are evaluated for dose limiting toxicity (DLT), immune response, and the antitumor response for at least 1 week before dose escalation may proceed. If there is no DLT in the first three, the next 3 patients are treated at a medium dose of CEA RNA-pulsed autologous DC at 0, 1, 2, and 3 weeks. Finally, if DLT is not seen at the medium dose, the final 6 patients receive intravenous infusions of a high dose of CEA RNA-pulsed autologous DC at weeks 0, 1, 2, and 3. If 1-2 patient(s) experience DLT at the either the low or medium dose levels, 3 more patients are entered at the same dose. If no further DLT occurs, then dose escalation continues. As soon as 3 toxic events occur in 3-6 patients at one dose level, accrual at that level ceases. The MTD is defined as the dose level immediately below that at which more than 3 of 6 patients develop DLT.

PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A minimum of 3 and a maximum of 18 patients will be accrued for this study.


Sponsor: Duke University

Current Primary Outcome: Safety [ Time Frame: 12 months ]

To determine the safety and dose limiting toxicity of intravenous injections of autologous, cultured, dendritic cells pulsed with CEA RNA.


Original Primary Outcome:

Current Secondary Outcome: Immune response [ Time Frame: 12 weeks ]

Evaluation of cellular immune response to the CEA protein. Evaluation of clinical and biochemical response to the treatment and the duration of such response


Original Secondary Outcome:

Information By: Duke University

Dates:
Date Received: May 2, 2000
Date Started: February 1997
Date Completion:
Last Updated: February 21, 2013
Last Verified: February 2013