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Updated: Jun 22, 2025
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Flow Cytometry-Based Isolation and Therapeutic Evaluation of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes in a Mouse Model of Pancreatic Cancer
Published on: January 17, 2025
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Dendritic Cell-Based Immunotherapy in Patients With Resected Pancreatic Cancer
Freek R van 't Land1,2, Marcella Willemsen2, Koen Bezemer2,3
1Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute, Rotterdam, the Netherlands.
Summary
Dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy showed promise in preventing pancreatic cancer recurrence after surgery. The study met its goal, with 64% of patients remaining recurrence-free at two years, indicating potential for this novel treatment.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Immunology
- Cancer Research
Background:
- Pancreatic cancer immunotherapy has limited efficacy.
- Dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy can induce T-cell responses against cancer antigens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of DC-based immunotherapy in preventing disease recurrence in pancreatic cancer patients post-surgery.
- To determine if DC-based immunotherapy can improve recurrence-free survival (RFS).
Main Methods:
- A single-center, open-label, single-arm, phase I/II trial was conducted.
- Patients with pancreatic cancer received autologous DCs pulsed with tumor cell lysate post-standard-of-care treatment.
- The primary endpoint was the 2-year RFS rate, with ≥60% considered a clinically meaningful improvement.
Main Results:
- The study included 38 patients, with a median follow-up of 25.5 months.
- The estimated 2-year RFS rate was 64%, meeting the primary endpoint.
- Vaccination resulted in enriched activated CD4+ T cells and detectable treatment-induced immune responses.
Conclusions:
- Adjuvant DC-based immunotherapy achieved a 2-year RFS rate of 64% in pancreatic cancer patients post-surgery and standard treatment.
- The findings support the potential of DC-based immunotherapy for pancreatic cancer.
- A future randomized trial is warranted to further validate these results.
