Possible new cancer therapy shrinks tumors in melanoma patients, Science auth...( patient 10) consisted of a single subf...),Health

For patients 9 and 10, that subfamily turned out to be primed to attack a particular antigen called "MART-1." The antigen is involved in producing pigmentation, and is thus found in normal skin and iris cells, as well as in melanomas.

Some of the patients who had positive responses to the therapy developed certain forms of autoimmunity, in which their T cells reacted to MART-1 antigens in healthy tissue. Patient 9 and some others developed vitiligo, a skin disorder that produces white patches of skin. Patient 10 developed uveitis, which is inflammation in the iris, and was treated successfully with steroid drops, the authors report.

The researchers didn't observe any autoimmune disorders more serious than vitiligo and uveitis, according to Rosenberg. If the therapy works on tumors, "it's a small price to pay for getting rid of your cancer," he said.

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Contact: Lisa Onaga
lonaga@aaas.org
202-326-7088
American Association for the Advancement of Science
19-Sep-2002