VACCINE THERAPY AND DETECTION OF IMMUNOLOGIC RESPONSES WITH HUMAN PAPILLOMAVIRUS 16 E6 AND E7 PEPTIDES IN PATIENTS WITH METASTATIC OR LOCALLY ADVANCED CERVICAL CANCER

OBJECTIVES:

• Determine whether endogenous cellular immunity to the viral oncoproteins human papilloma virus 16 (HPV16) E6 and E7 is present in patients with advanced or recurrent carcinoma of the cervix or other carcinomas that carry HPV16.
• Determine whether vaccination with antigen-presenting cells pulsed with synthetic peptide corresponding to the tumor's HPV16 E6 or E7 peptide can induce or boost patient cellular immunity to that particular peptide.
• Determine the type and characteristics of the cellular immunity generated in patients treated with this regimen.
• Determine the toxicity of this regimen in these patients.
• Determine the tumor response in patients treated with this regimen.
• Determine whether in vivo T cells generated specifically against HPV16 E6 or E7 peptide can be cloned and expanded in vitro against the corresponding peptide.

OUTLINE: Patients are stratified according to disease category as defined by the following:

• Stratum A: Stage III cervical cancer not previously treated with appropriate radiotherapy; stage IV or recurrent cervical cancer; or other advanced tumors that harbor human papilloma virus 16 (HPV16) such as anogenital, esophageal, or head and neck cancers.
• Stratum B: Stage III cervical cancer previously treated with standard therapy with no evidence of residual disease. Vaccination in this group is given as adjuvant therapy.

Patients are assigned to receive HPV E6 or E7 peptide by the principal investigator. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) (antigen presenting cells) are harvested and treated in vitro with sargramostim (GM-CSF) and pulsed with HPV16 E6 or E7. Patients receive vaccination with HPV16 E6 or E7 pulsed PBMC IV over 1-2 minutes during weeks 1, 3, 7, and 11 for a total of 4 vaccinations. Treatment continues in the absence of disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Patients who achieve complete response (CR) continue treatment for a maximum of 1 year past CR.