The effect of jaundice on the generation of anti-gastrin antibodies in G17DT immunized patients with advanced pancreatic cancer

• Published in: European journal of surgical oncology Vol. 32; no. 2; pp. 197 - 200
• Main Authors: Takhar, A.S., Gilliam, A.D., Watson, S.A., Henwood, M., Rowlands, B.J., Broome, P., Beckingham, I.J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Elsevier Ltd 01-03-2006
• Subjects: Adenocarcinoma - drug therapy; Adenocarcinoma - immunology; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Antibody Formation - drug effects; Bilirubin - blood; Biological therapy; Cancer Vaccines - adverse effects; Cancer Vaccines - blood; Cancer Vaccines - immunology; Cancer Vaccines - therapeutic use; Cholestasis - immunology; Disease Progression; Female; G17DT; Gastrin; Gastrins - adverse effects; Gastrins - blood; Gastrins - immunology; Gastrins - therapeutic use; Humans; Immunization - adverse effects; Immunotherapy; Injections, Intramuscular; Jaundice - immunology; Male; Middle Aged; Pancreatic cancer; Pancreatic Neoplasms - drug therapy; Pancreatic Neoplasms - immunology; Survival Analysis; Time Factors; Treatment Outcome; United Kingdom; G17DT; Biological therapy; Pancreatic cancer; Immunotherapy; Gastrin
• ISSN: 0748-7983; 1532-2157
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ejso.2005.08.008

The aim of this study was to determine the ability of G17DT to generate anti-gastrin antibodies in jaundiced patients with biliary obstruction due to advanced pancreatic cancer.
G17DT was administered to 41 patients with advanced pancreatic adenocarcinoma by intramuscular (i.m.) injection at a dose of 250mcg at weeks 0, 1 and 3 of the study.
Thirty-five of 41 patients participating in the study were categorized as responders in terms of their gastrin-17 antibody response. There was no correlation between the maximum G17 antibody response and the bilirubin level at either week 0 or week 12. The median survival of patients from the time of the first injection of G17DT was 204 days with 25% of patients surviving for ≤97 days and 25% of patients surviving for ≥305 days.
This study shows that G17DT administered to jaundiced patients with advanced pancreatic cancer is immunogenic and well tolerated.