PSA-based vaccines for the treatment of prostate cancer

Expert Rev Vaccines. 2006 Apr;5(2):199-209. doi: 10.1586/14760584.5.2.199.

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer-related death among men in the USA. Vaccine strategies represent a novel therapeutic approach. One potential target for a prostate cancer vaccine is prostate-specific antigen, owing to its restricted expression in prostate cancer and normal prostatic epithelial cells. A number of prostate-specific antigen-specific epitopes have been identified that can activate cytotoxic T lymphocytes and, in turn, result in the killing of tumor targets by the peptide-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes. Strategies employed in clinical trials consist of dendritic cell vaccines, recombinant protein and recombinant DNA vaccines, as well as viral vector delivery of vaccines. New approaches incorporating a combination of a vaccine with traditional treatments for prostate cancer are also being investigated.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Cancer Vaccines / immunology
  • Cancer Vaccines / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / biosynthesis*
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen / immunology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / immunology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / metabolism

Substances

  • Cancer Vaccines
  • Prostate-Specific Antigen