Head And Neck Cancer Immunotherapy Using Biodegradable Microspheres
Head And Neck Cancer Immunotherapy Using Biodegradable Microspheres
RATIONALE: Studying samples of tumor tissue from patients with cancer in the laboratory may help doctors learn more about how interleukin-2, interleukin-12, and GM-CSF delivered in microspheres increase the body's ability to kill tumor cells.
PURPOSE: This laboratory study is looking at microsphere-delivered cytokines to see if they increase tumor response in lymphocytes from patients with head and neck cancer.
OBJECTIVES:
OUTLINE: Biopsies of tumor are obtained during surgical resection. Patients undergo phlebotomy or leukapheresis to obtain peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). PBLs, tumor tissue, and cytokine-loaded microspheres are coengrafted into SCID mice. Tumor growth and immune response are determined.
Dendritic cells are obtained from PBLs, expanded in culture, and pulsed with either autologous tumor cell lysates or peptide eluted from the tumor cells. The dendritic cells are coengrafted with tumor cells, PBLs, and cytokine-loaded microspheres into SCID mice. The mice are then challenged with autologous tumor cells, and antitumor response is determined.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A total of 50 patients will be accrued for this study.
DISEASE CHARACTERISTICS:
PATIENT CHARACTERISTICS:
Age
Performance status
Life expectancy
Hematopoietic
Hepatic
Renal
Other
PRIOR CONCURRENT THERAPY:
Biologic therapy
Chemotherapy
Endocrine therapy
Radiotherapy
Surgery
Other