Breast cancer breakthrough? New vaccine being tested at Mayo Clinic could save millions of lives

Updated Oct 19, 2018 | 11:23 IST | Times Now Digital

Researchers say a new vaccine for triple-negative breast cancer currently being tested at the Mayo Clinic in Florida could help the body fight back against tumour, saving millions of lives.

Vaccine for triple-negative breast cancer
Vaccine for triple-negative breast cancer  |  Photo Credit: Thinkstock

Jacksonville, Fla: Researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Florida are currently working on a new vaccine for triple-negative breast cancer that they claim could someday save millions of lives. While the vaccine is still in clinical trials, doctors said they are excited as early results indicate it seems to be working with few negative side effects. Triple-negative breast cancer is an aggressive form of breast cancer that is more likely to spread beyond the breast and more likely to come back after treatment.

The vaccine, which aims to help the body resist the return of triple-negative breast cancer, is intended to be used in combination with Trastuzumab, an immune-stimulating drug given to women after they have surgery to remove the cancer, says a report in Fox 32. According to the researchers, the combination approach can help activate and stimulate two types of immune cells, B-cells and T-cells -- the major cellular components of the adaptive immune response. Read - What are the different stages of breast cancer, how are they treated? Life expectancy of metastatic cancer

Based on the findings of this trial, doctors can tailor treatments specifically for the type of breast cancer, including how far cancer has spread.

“The vaccine provides a prevention strategy to deter cancer reformation,” said Dr. Keith Knutson, a Mayo Clinic immunologist working on the study. “The body’s T-cells and B-cells synergize with each other for a strong, durable, immune response.”

But the problem is that people choose not to participate in clinical trials research due to certain reasons, such as safety concerns, difficulties fulfilling all the requirements to stay in the trial, etc. It is estimated that less than 5 per cent of adults with cancer enrol in a clinical trial or study. Having a diverse pool of people participate in clinical trials will help doctors identify a number of critical factors in cancer treatment - such as which drugs or vaccines might work and which may not work well, or how safe and effective they are.

Meanwhile, researchers at the Mayo Clinic are reportedly conducting several other vaccines for breast cancer, along with over 300 clinical trials for other types of cancer.

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