Experimental Cancer Vaccine Shows Promising Results for Certain Patients
Researchers Discover New Hope for Kidney Cancer Patients
Patients with stage 3 or 4 kidney cancer are at high risk of recurrence, and the tools available to lower that risk are not perfect. Researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Yale Cancer Center, and other universities have announced early findings from a study of an anti-tumor vaccine for patients with advanced kidney cancer.
The Study’s Target
After undergoing surgery to remove a malignant tumor, the study’s nine participants received a cancer vaccine that was intended to “train” their immune systems to identify and attack any lingering cancer cells.
Personalized Vaccine
Each vaccine was personalized to match the individual patient’s tumor type based on cancer cells that were removed during surgery. These cells contain “neoantigens,” which are “tiny fragments of mutant proteins.” The researchers used “predictive algorithms” to determine which neoantigens should be included in the vaccine to provide the highest level of immunity.
Results
All nine patients showed a “successful anti-cancer immune response” after getting the vaccine. After an average of 34.7 months, they all remained cancer-free. Within three weeks of receiving the vaccine, patients showed an “immune response,” with T-cells spiking by more than 166 times.
Durable Results
The T cells were found to remain in the patient’s body for up to three years and attacked the existing tumor cells. “We observed a rapid, substantial, and durable expansion of new T cell clones related to the vaccine,” said Patrick Ott, MD, PhD, director of the Center for Cancer Vaccines at Dana-Farber.
Exciting and Promising
Charles Nguyen, MD, a medical oncologist who specializes in kidney cancer at City of Hope in Orange County, California, noted that kidney cancer is among the 10 most common cancers among men and women in the U.S. “This exciting clinical trial evaluated a personalized cancer vaccine that uses genetic information from each patient’s cancer to train and enhance the patient’s immune system to recognize the cancer and prevent it from recurring,” he said.
Side Effects and Limitations
Some patients did experience side effects from the vaccine, including local reactions at the vaccine injection site and flu-like symptoms, although “no higher-grade side effects were reported.” The researchers also acknowledged that there were some limitations associated with the study, including limitations in the antigen-prediction tools available at the time and the ability to target only a single antigen.
Conclusion
The results of this study are exciting and promising, and larger-scale studies will be necessary to fully understand the clinical efficacy of this approach. However, the study’s findings suggest that a personalized neoantigen vaccine may be a viable option for patients with advanced kidney cancer.
FAQs
Q: What is the goal of the study?
A: The goal of the study is to develop a personalized cancer vaccine that uses genetic information from each patient’s cancer to train and enhance their immune system to recognize and attack the cancer.
Q: How many patients were involved in the study?
A: Nine patients were involved in the study.
Q: What were the results of the study?
A: All nine patients showed a successful anti-cancer immune response after receiving the vaccine, and all nine patients remained cancer-free for an average of 34.7 months.
Q: What are the next steps for the study?
A: Larger-scale studies will be necessary to confirm the vaccine’s effectiveness and full potential.
