The purpose of this study is to show if vaccination with autologous dendritic cells pulsed with peptides or tumor lysate in combination with adjuvant cytokines can induce a measurable immune response in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma, and to evaluate the clinical effect (objective response rate) of the vaccination regime.

Eligible patients receive vaccination with tumor antigen pulsed autologous monocyte-derived mature dendritic cells with a fixed interval. The dendritic cells are generated from leukapheresis products and frozen after antigen loading. HLA A2 positive patients are treated with PADRE and oncopeptide pulsed DC; survivin and telomerase peptides. HLA A2 negative patients are treated with KLH and tumorlysate pulsed DC; autologous or allogeneic. Each patient is given 6 immunizations with at least 5x106 peptide/lysate pulsed autologous DC. Vaccination 1-4 is given weekly and 4-6 at 2-week intervals. Those patients who exhibit stable disease, partial response or complete response after 6 injections will be given 4 more vaccinations at 2-week interval. The vaccine is applied by intradermal injection near the inguinal region. IL-2 2 MIU s.c. day 2-6 and Thymosin alpha 1 (Zadaxin®, SciClone) 1,6 mg s.c. twice a week are used for adjuvants. Scans and re-staging tests are performed at scheduled intervals throughout the study.