Vaccine-induced apoptosis: A novel clinical trial end point?

The functional end point of immunotherapy is to induce tumor regression. Be cause immune effector mechanisms usually result in apoptosis, the aim of th is study was to determine whether measurement of tumor apoptosis ex vivo is a good end point to evaluate the efficacy of cancer vaccines, A prototype vaccine, 105AD7, was administered to colorectal cancer patients before rese ction of their primary tumors, There was a significant increase in apoptosi s of tumor cells within immunized patients compared with control patients a s assessed by immunohistochemistry: (P = 0.005; n = 16) or by now cytometry (P = 0.003; n = 34). Preoperative immunization and measurement of tumor ce ll apoptosis may he a valuable clinical end point for evaluation of neu vac cine and other biological approaches.