Multivalent breast cancer vaccine

1. A method of preventing or treating breast cancer expressing human α-lactalbumin, human αS1 casein, human β-casein or human κ-casein in a non-lactating human female of a non-child bearing age in whom the genes encoding human α-lactalbumin, human αS1 casein, human β-casein and human κ-casein are not expressed by normal breast tissue, said method comprising administering to said non-lactating human female a multivalent antigenic composition comprising:

(i) human α-lactalbumin or a polypeptide comprising a 15 amino acid fragment thereof;

(ii) human αS1 casein or a polypeptide comprising a 15 amino acid fragment thereof;

(iii) human β-casein or a polypeptide comprising a 15 amino acid fragment thereof; and

(iv) of human κ-casein or a polypeptide comprising a 15 amino acid fragment thereof,

wherein the multivalent antigenic composition is administered in an amount effective to elicit a T-cell-mediated anti-tumor immune response against said breast cancer.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the multivalent antigenic composition comprises

human α-lactalbumin.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said method further comprises administering chemotherapy and/or radiotherapy to the non-lactating human female.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said polypeptides present in the composition are linked to one another.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said multivalent antigenic composition comprises

human α-lactalbumin and

αS1 casein.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the composition comprises

human α-lactalbumin,

human αS1 casein, human β-casein and human κ-casein.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein one of said polypeptides is covalently linked to an immune-enhancing cytokine selected from the group consisting of granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor, interleukin-2 and interleukin-4.