A new vaccine that targets HER2-positive tumor cells was successful in eliminating tumors in laboratory animals. And researchers say that the vaccine may well stop cancer from reoccurring in women or be used as an advance therapy for drug-resistant forms of breast cancer. HER2-positive tumor cells are responsible for one of the most aggressive forms of cancer. The vaccine contains a gene that spurs the development of HER2 receptors, triggering an immune system response directed against them.
Dr. Minetta Liu, director of translational breast cancer research at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University, says that the research indicates that the vaccine may restore drug sensitivity to tumor cells. "It's valuable research, potentially groundbreaking."
Dr. Wei-Zen Wei, a professor of immunology and microbiology at the Karmanos Cancer Center at Wayne State University, led the study, which was published in Cancer Research.
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