Study on mice shows experimental cancer vaccine clears four in ten pancreatic tumours and prevents return of disease

A team from the University of Massachusetts tested their vaccine on mice, which ‘cleared’ 43 per cent of pancreatic tumours and prevented the cancers from returning when they relapsed.

The vaccine uses a weakened food poisoning bug to stimulate an immune response and contains a piece of the recipient’s tumour to train their body to fight their own cancer.

The team are hoping to start human trials in the coming years and if approved, it could be a lifeline for patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

The disease is the third leading cause of cancer death in the US, claiming 50,550 lives each year.  It is hard to diagnose early as the pancreas is deep inside the body, so tumours cannot be seen or felt during routine physical examinations.  It is also difficult to treat once found, as tumours are often surrounded by important tissue, making it tricky for treatments to reach the cancer directly without damaging the tissue.

Speaking of the trial findings, Neil Forbes, senior author of the paper, said “We had complete cure in three out of seven of the pancreatic mice models.  We’re really excited about that; it dramatically extended survival.

He went on to say “None of the tumours grew, meaning that the mice had developed an immunity, not just to the ovalbumin, but to the cancer itself.

“The immune system has learned that the tumour is immunogenic.  I’m doing further work to figure out how that’s actually happening.”

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Posted by Karen Motley, Clinical Negligence Department, Chadwick Lawrence LLP (jacquelinevance@chadlaw.co.uk), medical negligence lawyers and clinical negligence solicitors in Huddersfield, Leeds, Wakefield and Halifax, West Yorkshire.

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