Title: A Phase I Study of Tumor-Derived Heat Shock Protein gp96, Alone or in Conjunction with GM-CSF, for the Treatment of Patients with Stage III and IV Ovarian Cancer After Effective Chemotherapy

Description: Many patients with stage III or IV ovarian cancer relapse after standard treatment. Therefore, a treatment to prevent disease relapse would be beneficial. In this study we are examining an ovarian cancer vaccine. Our vaccines are based on Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs) that are purified from a patient's own tumor. Over the years, our group has discovered and other scientists have later confirmed, that HSPs can bind a wide variety of molecules (called peptides), which are unique to a given tumor and in some cases provide protective immunity against the tumor from which they were made. One of the HSPs is called gp96. Tumor-derived gp96 has been tested clinically for a variety of cancers, involving more than 400 patients worldwide. The vaccine is well tolerated and no unexpected toxicities were observed. This study is the first clinical trial to test the roles of HSP gp96 vaccine that is designed specifically for the treatment of ovarian cancer. We will also study if the effect of gp96 vaccine is affected by combining it with a growth factor called granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF). All patients will have tumor frozen at the time of surgery and vaccine will be made from their own tumor. After standard chemotherapy, each patient will receive weekly vaccine injections for eight weeks. For more information, please call Diahann Wilcox at 860-679-2835.

Length/Duration: 2 years

Compensation: None

Location: UConn Health Center

For more information, patient benefits, and to learn if you qualify, contact: Diahann Wilcox at 860-679-2835.