Incidence based mortality declined by about 10% per year between 1991 and 1999 in a fashion similar to that of D2 spread, but not loco-regional spread or overall, incidence.

Oral discomfort and pain are frequent side-effects of many popular prescription medications. Over 500 prescription drugs are known to result in the development of adverse oral conditions. In fact, approximately 40% of patients suffer from xerostomia and oral mucositis, as a result of cancer medications. The number of affected individuals is expected to continue to rise, given that the incidence of major cancers is predicted to grow over the next decade. Regrettably, there are currently lacks of treatments available to effectively improve xerostomia and oral mucositis symptoms. Interestingly, the use of several herbal ingredients (such as chamomile, cinnamon, and peppermint oil) has been reported to effectively improve pain and oral dryness. For this reason, we examined the effectiveness of an herbal mouthwash, Nature’s Herbal (a blend of cinnamon oil, chamomile, cranberry, and peppermint extract), to alleviate symptoms of oral pain and dry mouth exhibited by patients diagnosed with oral mucositis and xerostomia. Daily treatment with the mouthwash induced a 53% ± 6% and 33.2% ± 3.8% improvement in the severity of symptom, for the oral mucositis and xerostomia patients groups, respectively. Overall, the herbal mouthwash induced an improvement in 91% of oral mucositis and 83% of xerostomia patients.

Background: We developed and clinically test a new method to manufacture mature dendritic cells for autologous cell therapy of solid and hematological malignancies. Methods: Peripheral blood monocytes are matured into dendritic cells with GM-CSF/IL-4 mixture, and then activated through IL1b, TNFa, IFNa-2A, and Poly(I:C), then viably frozen until use. DC are injected intra-dermally for a total of 6 injections. Results: High-grade mDC with high pre-and post-freezing yields could be generated. These DC spontaneously produce IL12p70 and they can be further stimulated via CD40. In a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer treated with our mDC formulation, we observed no toxicity but remarkable immune response and objective response in terms of tumor shrinking. Conclusion: We describe a new method to manufacture GMP-grade dendritic cells for autologous therapeutic cancer vaccines. We also show proof-of-principle efficacy in a patient with advanced pancreatic cancer. Trial registration: NCT02705703.

e15748 Background: Pancreatic cancer is one of the world’s deadliest malignancies with an average 5-year survival rate of only 9%. Fortunately, immunotherapy is providing encouraging results for treatment of this historically resistant malignancy. Kiromic Biopharma is performing a phase I/II dendritic cell vaccine trial for progressive solid malignancies. We present here a notable response to metastatic pancreatic cancer. Methods: The patient is a 73-year-old male with the history of a locally advanced pancreatic cancer treated initially with gemcitabine, concurrent 5FU and radiation therapy, and consolidation 5FU, followed by surgical resection in 2009 . Although the patient did well exceeding typical survival curves, the patient’s cancer became metastatic, requiring multiple lines of chemotherapy including FOLFIRINOX, gemzar and abraxane, and most recently Onivyde and leucovorin/5FU in February - August, 2017 for progressive liver and lung metastases. The patient was then enrolled onto Kiromic Biopharma’s DC vaccination trial in March, 2018. Results: He subsequently received 6 ID autologous dendritic cell vaccinations over 12 weeks, demonstrating a tumor antigen specific immunogenic response by IFN-gamma immunoassay. Total tumor burden (TTB) prior to clinical trial enrollment at the sites of metastatic disease was 2,221mm2, and after completion of the DC vaccination protocol in May, 2018, the TTB increased to 4,466mm2 in June, 2018 (not considered to be pseudo-progression due to a corresponding increase in tumor biomarkers). The patient then received a repeat course of Onivyde and leucovorin/5FU on 8-3-18, completing that course of therapy on 9-14-18, with subsequent TTB decreasing to 2,986 mm2. Conclusions: The sequential combination of dendritic cell vaccine and chemotherapy resulted in a substantial response with a recession in metastatic tumor burden. A CT scan was obtained just 6 days after the 5 week course of Onivyde was completed, and given the optimal immunotherapy window after the DC vaccination, and the repeat of the same chemotherapy regimen, it is unlikely that chemotherapy alone led to such a rapid decrease in the TTB. Metastatic sites were likely populated by chemo resistant clones that survived the August 2017 administration of the Onivyde regimen. Thus, chemo alone would be unlikely to act so quickly. We hypothesize that there was synergistic activity between the DC immunotherapy and the Onivyde/5FU regimen, accounting for the decrease in TTB between May and September, 2018. Clinical trial information: NCT02705703.