Adoptive immunotherapy of experimental ovarian-cancer using activated human monocytes and the human monoclonal-antibody, anti-14c1.

We have examined the ability of the ovarian cancer cell-line OWmM1 to grow intraperitoneally in athymic ('nude') mice. The cell-line was tumorigenic and metastatic in a manner that paralleled the human disease; the metastatic nodules implanted onto the peritoneal surface, the diaphragm and the mesentery. The resulting tumour formed a clear ascitic fluid and peritoneal carcinomatosis. Adoptive transfer of activated human monocytes to the peritoneal cavity of tumour-bearing animals showed no increase in survival, while antibody alone produced a modest survival benefit (2-4 days). Administration of the human monoclonal antibody anti-14C1 and monocyte therapy together increased the benefit further and resulted in approximately 30% of the animals surviving until the end of the experiment (100 days).