Cancer Vaccines for the Treatment and Prevention of Non–Small-Cell Lung Cancer

Clinical trials targeting lung cancer with active immunotherapy: the scope of vaccines

Successful active immunotherapy is expected to be specific and nontoxic. Until now, the success of immunotherapy in cancer has been sporadic and unpredictable. This has been attributable in part to the lack of a full understanding of the mechanistic underpinnings of immune regulation. Furthermore, the lack of systematic success of immunotherapy, as argued in this review, stems from failing to effectively target tumors such as non-small cell lung cancer. In this review, the rationale and design for induction of immunity to non-small cell lung cancer and clinical trials of the most important lung cancer vaccines in development are discussed.

Present and future of lung cancer vaccines

New approaches are needed to improve the current treatment of lung cancer. Inducing an immune response against lung tumour cells with vaccines represents an attractive therapy. However, lung tumours had not been considered good targets for vaccine therapy and, therefore, immune approaches have not been studied extensively in this setting. Current experimental strategies for antitumour vaccines include the generation of active immune responses against specific tumour antigens. Understanding the mechanisms of antitumour immunity and identifying relevant tumour-specific antigens will probably improve therapeutic strategies and provide avenues for the future of lung cancer therapy. There have been a number of preclinical immunotherapy trials suggesting activity, and a smaller number of human clinical trials using various vaccines in lung cancer. Initial data from these trials have shown preliminary evidence of induction of immune responses and suggest clinical activity. This paper reviews some of the most important developments in vaccines for lung cancer.

Innovative treatments for non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer remains the most frequent and most lethal cancer worldwide. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) comprises the vast majority of the histological types. Surgery remains the standard therapy for early stage disease but for advanced stage disease, modern treatment is unsatisfactory. However, during the past ten years, improvements in response and survival have been seen with the use of newer chemotherapy regimens. Early studies of neo-adjuvant (pre-operative) chemotherapy for resectable stage III patients have shown promising results. For patients with non-resectable NSCLC platinum-based doublets are now established as first-line treatment, either alone or in combination with radiotherapy. Innovative non-platinum based combinations are actively being evaluated. The most promising non-platinum agents at this time include gemcitabine, paclitaxel, docetaxel, irinotecan and vinorelbine. These agents appear to be effective as single agents and in combinations and also have improved toxicity profiles. Several other systemic approaches are under active evaluation; the most promising areas include anti-angiogenesis agents, immunotoxins, interleukins, vaccines and molecular therapy.