PRE-IMMUNOTHERAPY SERUM CA27.29 (MUC-1) MUCIN LEVEL AND CD69(-TN-KLH CANCER VACCINE IN ACTIVE SPECIFIC IMMUNOTHERAPY() LYMPHOCYTES CORRELATE WITH EFFECTS OF THERATOPE(R) SIALYL)

Patients with metastatic breast, colorectal or ovarian cancers receive d active specific immunotherapy (ASI) with Theratope(R) sialyl-Tn-KLH (keyhole limpet hemocyanin) cancer vaccine emulsified in Detox(TM) adj uvant. The median log(2) anti-STn IgG titer generated by ASI, estimate d by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay with solid-phase ovine submaxil lary mucin, was 5.322 (range = 0-9.322). Following ASI, 51 patients wh o generated titers higher than the median value for anti-STn(+) mucin IgG survived longer than 46 patients who generated lower titers below the median. 38 of the patients were phenotyped for CD69 prior to ASI. The patients with lower numbers of CD69(+) peripheral blood lymphocyte s prior to immunotherapy (pre-ASI) also had low serum CA27.29 cancer a ntigen (MUC-1) levels, and had longer times to disease progression and improved survival following ASI. Elevated pre-ASI serum CA27.29 tumor antigen levels were associated with higher numbers of CD69(+) PBL, wi th decreased anti-STn antibody production and decreased survival follo wing ASI. The data are compatible with the hypothesis that elevated se rum MUC-1 mucin is specifically immunosuppressive.