A new approach to cancer treatment?

At the end of last week, news emerged of a possible new approach to treating cancer patients, using the body's own immune system to fight the mutating cells! Whilst it might sound like a far-fetched idea from future generations, a research group at Washington University, may have successfully developed the first cancer-fighting vaccine.

Our bodies have the innate ability to produce 'T-cells', which are a type of white blood cell, crucial to successful immunity. They scan for cell abnormalities and infections and can be broadly divided into 'helper t-cell' and 'killer t-cell' groups; the former are responsible for creating an immune response to threats and the latter respond to abnormalities by hunting down and destroying cells or infections, including many of those which are cancerous. Unfortunately, these t-cells are also responsible for the majority of auto-immune conditions, when they become over-active or over-sensitive, identifying healthy cells as a threat.

When it comes to cancer, the problem is, these t-cells are often not numerous or strong enough to overcome cancer on their own, resulting in the need for surgery, chemotherapy or radiotherapy to combat the problem. Now, a trail at Washington University led by oncologist Gerald Linette has identified a way to create a personalised vaccine, support the body's own immunity and ability to fight cancerous cells.

The results of this prototype study are incredibly early, and it is as yet unknown what the full capabilities or side-effects could be, however three cancer patients were subjected to the experimental treatment, and all are said to be doing well according to researchers. In fact one is now in full remission, whilst the others are being heralded as 'stable', despite it being too early to measure the full effects.

So how does it work?
Researchers at the University took three patients with advanced Melanoma Skin Cancer and studied the proteins present in each individual's tumour; these proteins vary from person to person and so the intense study enabled the researchers to create personalised vaccines. The vaccines encouraged the production of T-Cells, specifically designed to target the melanoma skin cells, and the researchers were able to identify the different t-cell responses to the cancer.

Speaking to The Independent, Gerald Linette of Washington University said "Melanoma likes to grow and spread and it hasn't done that in these patients, but we don't know yet whether it will. The tumour antigens we inserted into the vaccines provoked a broad response among the immune system's killer T-cells responsible for destroying tumours. Our results are preliminary, but we think the vaccines have therapeutic potential based on the breadth and remarkable diversity of the T-cell response."

As yet, the vaccines seem to be somewhat effective with no obvious side-effects. The research is the first to sequence and analyse the complete DNA of each patient's tumour, and the first to identify seven different cancer proteins that are unique to each patient.

The next step is for researchers to start clinical trials within twelve months, as well as assessments into the potential effectiveness of this kind of treatment for other tumours such as bladder or lung cancer, both of which have high rates of mutation.

What a fab and innovative approach to cancer treatment and we wish them luck with their trial!

Victoria x

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