Compositions and methods for the treatment and growth inhibition of cancer using heat shock/stress protein-peptide complexes in combination with adoptive immunotherapy

A method of inhibiting the growth of a type of cancer in an individual in whom such inhibition of a type of cancer is desired comprising:

• (a) administering to the individual a first composition comprising a purified first complex consisting essentially of a first heat shock protein noncovalently bound to a first antigenic molecule;
• and
• (b) administering to the individual a second composition comprising antigen presenting cells sensitized in vitro with a sensitizing amount of a purified second complex consisting essentially of a second heat shock protein noncovalently bound to a second antigenic molecule;
• in which said second composition is administered before, concurrently or after administration of the first composition, in which either (i) the purified first complex is obtained from cancerous tissue of said type, or (ii) the first antigenic molecule is a tumor-specific antigen of said type of cancer;
• and in which either (i) the purified second complex is obtained from cancerous tissue of said type, or (ii) the second antigenic molecule is a tumor-specific antigen of said type of cancer.

A method of treating an individual having a type of cancer comprising:

• (a) administering to the individual a first composition comprising a purified first complex consisting essentially of a first heat shock protein noncovalently bound to a first antigenic molecule of said type of cancer in which the purified first complex is obtained from cancerous tissue of said type;
• and
• (b) administering to the individual a second composition comprising antigen presenting cells sensitized in vitro with a sensitizing amount of a purified second complex consisting essentially of a heat shock protein noncovalently bound to a second antigenic molecule of said type of cancer in which the second purified complex is obtained from cancerous tissue of said type;
• in which said second composition is administered before, concurrently or after administration of the first composition.