Sipuleucel-T (PROVENGE®), is a cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of hormone refractory prostate cancer. Sipuleucel-T is a cellular immunotherapy consisting of autologous peripheral blood mononuclear cells, obtained by leukapheresis and cultured with a recombinant human protein (PAP-GM-CSF) consisting of prostatic acid phosphatase linked to granulocyte-macrophage colonystimulating factor. Studies have shown that (IMPACT Trial) patients treated who received sipuleucel-T had a 4.1 month improvement in median overall survival compared to control treatment. There was no difference in time-to-progression under treatment. Sipuleucel-T is the first FDA approved immunoterapy agent for the treatment of prostate cancer. Although it an effective treatment option for castration resistant prostate cancer, its widespread use and clinical applications are dependent to economic factors.

Keywords: prostate cancer, immunotherapy, sipuleucel-T