A study of 26 women with breast and ovarian cancer found that the PANVAC vaccine helped the immune system recognize and destroy tumor cells. The trial was conducted at the Laboratory of Tumor Immunology and Biology at the National Cancer Institute, with results published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research.
Of the 26 women tested, all had exhausted other treatment options and had cancer that spread to other parts of the body. Of the 12 patients with breast cancer, PANVAC delayed disease progression 2.5 months, with a median overall survival of 13.7 months. Four patients had stable disease, and one woman's cancer disappeared. Of the 14 patients in the ovarian cancer group, the vaccine delayed progression two months with a median overall survival of 15 months.
"With this vaccine, we can clearly generate immune responses that lead to clinical responses in some patients," said lead researcher Dr. James Gulley in a release. "The sustained benefit seen in some patients in this study underscores the potential for therapeutic vaccines to impact clinical outcomes without toxicity. However, more studies in the appropriate patient populations are required to adequately assess efficacy."
- take a look at the release
- here's the HealthDay report for more
Special Report: 10 Promising Therapeutic Vaccines