Bronchial carcinoid tumor treated with interferon and a new vaccine against NeuGcGM3 antigen expressed in malignant carcinoid cells.

A case of a 16-year-old female with a disseminated tumor was reported six years after surgical treatment. In October 1993 the diagnosis of a bronchial carcinoid tumor was made and a left pneumonectomy was performed. No adjuvant treatment was indicated. In May 1999 a relapse was confirmed by cytology, and a treatment with rec-hIFNalpha (10 MU intramuscular, thrice/week) was indicated. Her clinical condition improved, (ECOG 2 to 0), after three months of stable disease at evaluation, up to March 2002 when she developed a progressive disease as documented by abdominal CT scan. The histological block of the primary tumor was sent to the Centre of Molecular Immunology in order to evaluate the recognition of the ganglioside molecule on the tumor by immunohistochemistry, which was informed as positive. In April 2002 we decided to begin a compassionate treatment with the vaccine NGcGM3/VSSP Montanide ISA 51 in combination with rec-hIFNalpha. Since then up to now (56 months after progression with rec-hIFNalpha alone) the patient still has stable disease. In summary, we observed very encouraging results that could support further studies in this type of patients.