WT1 (Wilms tumor 1) peptide immunotherapy for childhood rhabdomyosarcoma: a case report

Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2009 Jan;26(1):74-83. doi: 10.1080/08880010802435500.

Abstract

Immunotherapy using a Wilms tumor (WT1) peptide has been undergoing clinical trials for adulthood leukemia and solid cancer with promising results. In this study, the authors used WT1 peptide vaccination to treat a 6-year-old girl with metastatic alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma. She received weekly intradermal injection with HLA-A*2404-restricted, 9-mer WT1 peptide against residual bone disease. After 3 months her bone disease disappeared, concurrent with an increase in the frequency of WT1-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs). A high proportion of WT1-specific CTLs with effector or effector memory phenotype were detected in peripheral blood of this patient. She is currently still on continued WT1 peptide immunotherapy in a disease-free condition for 22 months. WT1 peptide-based immunotherapy should be a promising option for high-risk rhabdomyosarcoma in childhood.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Bone Diseases / drug therapy
  • Child
  • Disease-Free Survival
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Peptide Fragments / therapeutic use*
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma, Alveolar / drug therapy*
  • Rhabdomyosarcoma, Alveolar / pathology
  • T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic / immunology
  • Vaccination
  • WT1 Proteins / therapeutic use*

Substances

  • Peptide Fragments
  • WT1 Proteins