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mRNA Vaccine Shows Promise In Pancreatic Cancer Trial
A recent clinical trial has yielded promising results in the treatment of pancreatic cancer, a disease with a dismal survival rate. The study, which involved 16 patients, found that a personalized mRNA vaccine can stimulate an immune response against proteins on the tumor, reducing the risk of recurrence after surgery.
The phase 1 trial, led by Vinod Balachandran, MD, surgeon-scientist from Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, demonstrated that the mRNA vaccine, when combined with an immune checkpoint inhibitor drug, induced a long-term immune response. Notably, anti-tumor immune cells stimulated by the vaccine were detected in patients up to four years after treatment.
This breakthrough is significant as pancreatic cancer has seen limited success in traditional treatments such as surgery and chemotherapy. The current survival rate for patients with this disease stands at a mere 13% five years or more after diagnosis. In contrast, the mRNA vaccine showed impressive results, with six out of eight initially responsive patients remaining cancer-free at the time of study follow-up.
Unlike vaccines that prevent infectious diseases, such as COVID-19 or measles, cancer vaccines are administered to individuals who have already developed the disease and aim to prompt their immune system to attack the tumor. In this particular trial, the mRNA vaccine was personalized for each patient using genetic sequencing information, targeting specific proteins, called neoantigens, present on their individual tumor.
The results of this study have sparked excitement in the medical community as it may pave the way for a new approach in cancer treatment. The initial findings are being built upon with an ongoing phase 2 trial, which is expected to finish in 2029 and will involve over 260 patients.
Source: http://www.forbes.com
