Modulacija imunskega odziva pri bolnikih z malignim melanomom rezistentnim na kemoterapijo (Slovene)

In a group of metastatic melanoma patients, resistent to irradiation, chemoterapy and treatment with immunomodulatory agents, the supressed immune response to tumors will be removed and eventual tumor regression as well as the effect on patients’ survival will be evaluated after stimulation the immune sistem. For that purpose cyclophosphamid, anti-lymphocyte T polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies will be applied leading to depletion of lymphocytes T, aiming mostly at activated supressor cells. This treatment will be followed by infusion of allogenic mononuclear cells to additionally remove supressive barriers and to non-specifically activate patient’s immune system. The concept of this approach is similar to desirable induction of graft versus leukemia effect (GvL) in bone-marrow transplantation. Specific anti-tumor cellular and humoral responses induced by deblocking the immune system will be amplified by the use of patient’s autologous dendritic cells, prepared in vitro from his peripheral blood mononuclear cells (monocytes), harvested prior to all treatments.