EFFECTS OF MONOCLONAL-ANTIBODY IMMUNOTHERAPY ON PATIENTS WITH GASTROINTESTINAL ADENOCARCINOMA

Abstract

Patients (20) with metastasis of gastrointestinal malignancies were treated with an anti-colorectal cancer mouse monoclonal antibody 1083-17-1A of the IgG2a class between Dec. 1980-Jan. 1983. With 2 exceptions, all patients received a single injection of monoclonal antibody in a dose range of 15-1000 mg/patient. No untoward immediate or delayed reaction to the initial injection was observed in any of the patients. Mouse Ig circulated in the patients'' blood for 2-50 days, depending on the dose of monoclonal antibody injected, and was detected in tumor tissue within 1 wk of its administration. Eight of 9 patients who received doses of 366-1000 mg monoclonal antibody did not develop anti-mouse antibodies, while 8 of 9 who received < 200 mg developed anti-mouse Ig antibody. Three of this heterogeneous group of patients have no detectable disease 10, 13 and 22 mo. since immunotherapy.