Dr. Slovin on Prostate Cancer Immunotherapy Evolution

Susan F. Slovin, MD, PhD, an associate member in the Genitourinary Oncology Service at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, summarizes the development of an effective immunotherapy for the treatment of men with prostate cancer.

The initial phase I/II trials examining immunotherapeutic approaches in prostate cancer were not successful, Slovin states. Many of these agents were tested as single agents and were largely ineffective. However, these early trials successfully demonstrated that an immune response could be elicited in patients with prostate cancer.

Now for the first time, Slovin notes, with sipuleucel-T (Provenge), an immune product vaccine has extended overall survival. By and large, Slovin notes, researchers are still examining the mechanism of action for sipuleucel-T, to further understand how the agent successfully generates a biologic response.

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