L'augmentation de HAMA chez une patiente atteinte de cancer de l'ovaire a-t-elle pu participer à l'augmentation de sa survie ?

Monoclonal antibodies are used increasingly in diagnostic methods and cancer therapy. They were first used in vivo in immunoscintigraphy when radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies were injected intravenously to detect tumor tissue expressing an antigen recognized by this antibody. Immunotherapy is now used in the treatment of several types of cancer. These antibodies have been reported to cause the production of human anti-mouse antibodies (HAMA) in patients undergoing cancer treatment. The presence of HAMA could stimulate the immune system and prolong survival. The present case concerns a patient with a metastatic ovarian adenocarcinoma. For diagnostic purposes, the patient was given several injections of murine monoclonal antibodies and for therapeutic purposes received a humanized antibody. Repeated injections of monoclonal antibodies induced high production of HAMA, with increasing levels after each re-injection. Biological follow-up of the patient involved assays of antigen CA125 and assays of human anti-mouse antibodies. The high levels of HAMA in this patient were well tolerated and undoubtedly contributed to her prolonged survival.