Combined immunochemotherapy of human solid tumors in nude mice

In vivo immunochemotherapy of human solid tumors was studied in a nude mouse model. Large tumors (3 to 6 cm3) were induced by s.c. injection of the acute lymphoblastic leukemia T-cell line CEM. Transient tumor inhibition could be achieved by intratumoral injection of an intact-ricin immunotoxin that specifically recognizes a determinant CD5 (T,p67) expressed on the cell surface. Injection of the in vitro active cyclophosphamide congener mafosfamid had little effect on the progression of tumor growth. A combination regimen of immunotoxin and mafosfamid induced the most dramatic antitumor effect; a 72 to 100% reduction in tumor volume was observed within 3 to 4 days posttreatment. However, tumors relapsed within 5 to 13 days. Persistent, tumor regression was observed only when protocols using successive injections of combined immunotoxin/mafosfamid were used. All seven mice undergoing this treatment had a precipitous decrease in tumor size, and 86% survived greater than 30 days posttreatment. No residual tumor was detectable on Day 30 in five of seven mice. Regression was partly attributed to the selective activity of immunotoxin, since successive injections of an irrelevant control immunotoxin coupled to ricin in combination with mafosfamid did not reduce tumor size. Thus, we have demonstrated that a combination of anticancer chemotherapy and immunotoxin therapy yielded a greater antitumor effect than either therapy alone.