Phase I/II Study of Multiple-Vaccine Therapy Using Epitope Peptide Restricted to HLA-A*0201 in Treating Patients With Refractory Esophageal Cancer

URLC10 has been identified as cancer specific molecules especially in non small cell lung cancer using genome-wide expression profile analysis by cDNA microarray technique. In a prior study, it has been shown that URLC10 is upregulated in human esophageal tumors. VEGF receptor 1 and 2 are essential targets to tumor angiogenesis, and we identified that peptides derived from these receptors significantly induce the effective tumor specific CTL response in vitro and vivo. According to these findings, in this trial, we evaluate the safety, immunological and clinical response of those peptides. Patients will be vaccinated twice a week for 8 weeks. On each vaccination day, the URLC10-117 peptide(1mg), VEGFR1 peptide(1mg) and VEGFR2 peptide(1mg) mixed with Montanide ISA 51 will be administered by subcutaneous injection. Repeated cycles of vaccine will be administered until patients develop progressive disease or unacceptable toxicity, whichever occurs first. In the phase I study, we evaluate the safety and tolerability of these peptide vaccines. In the following phase II study, we evaluate the immunological and clinical response of this vaccine therapy.