Seeking a vaccine through aggressive cancer markers

The American researchers, whose findings are published in the journal, Nature Medicine, are planning to conduct trials of the drug in humans, but warn that it could be years before the vaccine is available. The immunologist, Dr Tuohy, who led the research says the vaccine targets a protein found in most breast tumours.

Dr Anthony Leathem, co-founder of Against Breast Cancer and honorary senior lecturer at University College London, said: "This is a really exciting direction for finding a vaccine to prevent breast cancer.

"It's a very interesting model and is based on a protein of mature, organised cells (for lactation) and is therefore present in the more mature, organised cancer cells such as low-grade, less aggressive cancers.

"Against Breast Cancer's research is focussing on markers of very aggressive cancers, and the charity's aim is to find a vaccine that targets these more aggressive cancers. Researchers are particularly focussed on glycans or carbohydrates, whereas the target of the recent US research is a protein. So the approaches are different but complementary to eachother.

Dr Leathem adds, "Of course, much further work is needed but optimistically we might apply the new research findings to humans, preventing breast cancers, with a minor side-effect that women vaccinated would lose the ability to produce milk. That important side effect may be a deterrent to women who want to breast feed.

"This lays the foundations for stimulating immunity to other 'tissue specific' targets to prevent cancers."

Read more about Against Breast Cancer's research into the low level of natural immunity in breast cancer patients and how it can be stimulated to fight secondary spread of the disease on our research pages.

 

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Ref: Jaini, R., et al (2010). An autoimmune-mediated strategy for prophylactic breast cancer vaccination Nature Medicine DOI: 10.1038/nm.2161