Adjuvant dendritic cell vaccination in high-risk uveal melanoma patients

Background The presence of monosomy 3 in the primary tumor is widely accepted as the most reliable prognostic parameter, identified in approximately 50% of patients with primary uveal melanoma [1]. Long term studies have shown a 3-year survival rate of 40% if monosomy 3 is present, whereas tumors with normal chromosome 3 status rarely give rise to metastatic disease and have a 90% 3-year survival rate [2]. Currently, there is no effective adjuvant treatment for the patients with early stage uveal melanoma at high risk for metastatic disease (monosomy 3). The development of uveal melanoma at an immune-privileged site, the eye, made it questionable if immunotherapy would be a suitable treatment modality. Nonetheless, in this open label Phase II study we investigated the immunological responses in high risk uveal melanoma patients, selected based on monosomy 3, to dendritic cell vaccination.