The investigators have grown neuroblastoma cells in the laboratory and put into them two specially produced mouse viruses (retroviruses) that carry the lymphotactin and the IL-2 gene. These lymphotactin and IL-2 genes are meant to help the immune system fight the cancer. The modified cancer cells will be injected under the patient's skin. There will be four shots. The second and subsequent shots will have ten times as many cells producing lymphotactin as the first. The patient will normally have these shots as an outpatient. Depending on response (if the patient's cancer has stayed the same or gotten smaller), the patient may be able to have four more of these shots.
Tests during and after treatment:
If the patient's blood has not been tested for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, then the investigators will need to do this test. If this virus is present, this research treatment cannot be used.
Before the second shot, and then again about 2 weeks later, the investigators will remove some of the modified cells from the patient's body and study them. This will be done by a skin biopsy at the place where the cells were injected. These tests are to see whether the changes made in the laboratory are killing cancer cells.
To study how the immunity is working in the patient's body blood samples will be taken two to four days after each injection. This may be repeated 5-7 days after each injection if the patient's doctor thinks that it is necessary. After the patient stops receiving the injections, the blood draws will need to be repeated once a month for a year, and then once a year for fifteen years.
The patient will need to come to the clinic on the days the investigators take blood and will need to be seen at Texas Children's Cancer Center at weekly intervals for 6 weeks, then every other week for 6 weeks, and then monthly for a year. Then the patient will be seen in clinic or contacted by study personnel once a year for 15 years. Additional visits may be necessary.
To see if this research treatment is working, CAT scans, MRIs, or bone scans (these are different types of x-rays)will be done. Investigators will also take a bone marrow biopsy (bone marrow will be removed by use of a needle so that it can be looked at under the microscope). These tests will be done prior to treatment and repeated eight weeks later. In addition, if the patient receives the second set of four injections, these tests will be repeated at six months. If the neuroblastoma is not responding (if it has gotten larger), the investigators will offer the patient treatment with chemotherapy and/or radiation therapy.
