We are well-aware about how vaccines are generally developed for prevention of various infections. In case of infections, vaccines help your body identify the disease-causing virus and trigger an immune response accordingly. So, every time the virus tries to attack your body, your body is already familiar with what it looks like and knows exactly what it needs to do, to fight it. Similarly, vaccines for cancers also work in the same manner, enabling the immune system to attack cancer cells.
Generally, the immune system is supposed to eliminate cancers, but cancer cells grow and evolve by escaping detection by the immune system or they block the activation of the immune system. Thus, in cancer, vaccines have three potential uses: treatment of patients with existing cancer, prevention of recurrence in high-risk patients and complete prevention of cancer in normal patients. Currently, there are over 50 clinical trials in active stages for breast cancer vaccines, most of which are to treat and prevent recurrence of cancer.
Latest developments in breast cancer vaccines
Breast cancer vaccine by Cleveland Clinic
Researchers from Cleveland Clinic have launched a new study for a vaccine targeting prevention of triple-negative breast cancer, which is by far the most aggressive and deadly form of breast cancer. The United States Food and Drug Administration (USFDA) has recently approved testing of an experimental new drug application for the vaccine.
This new study which includes the first phase of the clinical trial, has been designed to determine the maximum tolerated dosage of this particular vaccine in patients with early-stage triple-negative breast cancer. This will help to identify and make the body’s immune response as effective as possible.
Long term goals of the Cleveland Clinic Breast Cancer Vaccine
- The major long-term goal of their research is to determine if this vaccine can be used to prevent the occurrence of breast cancer, specifically the aggressive forms in high risk women.
- The scientists and doctors from Cleveland clinic are hoping that their research will lead to advancement of clinical trials to assess the effectiveness of their vaccine against the aggressive triple-negative breast cancer.
- They hope that this vaccine can serve as a true preventive vaccine which can be given to healthy women to protect them from triple-negative breast cancer, the type of cancer which has least effective treatments.
Need for emphasis on triple-negative breast cancer
- Triple negative breast cancer accounts for a higher percentage of breast cancer-related deaths with a higher rate of recurrence.
- Hormonal or targeted therapies are not effective for triple-negative breast cancer as this type of cancer does not have typical biological characteristics which respond to these treatments.
How does this vaccine work?
The vaccine targets a breast-related protein called α-lactalbumin, which is associated with lactation (secretion of milk from breasts). Generally, this protein is no longer found post-lactation in normal, aging tissues, but in majority of triple negative breast cancers it is present.
The vaccine activates the immune response against this protein, to provide protection from developing breast cancers that manifest with α-lactalbumin. It also contains an additional substance which enhances and strengthens natural immune responses, allowing the immune system to prevent emerging breast tumors from growing.
The Cleveland Clinic team believes that if these vaccines are proven successful in the clinical trials, they have a great potential to transform the methods of cancer control and improve life expectancy.
References:
- Solinas C, Aiello M, Migliori E, Willard-Gallo K, Emens L. Breast cancer vaccines: Heeding the lessons of the past to guide a path forward. Cancer Treat Rev. 2020;84:101947.
- Behravan J, Razazan A, Behravan G. Towards Breast Cancer Vaccines, Progress and Challenges. Curr Drug Discov Technol. 2019;16(3):251-258.
- Breast Cancer Vaccine. John Hopkins Medicine.
https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/kimmel_cancer_center/cancers_we_treat/breast_cancer_program/_archive/breast_cancer_vaccine.html
Accessed on 17 December, 2021. - Cancer Vaccines and Their Side Effects. American Cancer Society.
https://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatments-and-side-effects/treatment-types/immunotherapy/cancer-vaccines.html
Accessed on 17 December, 2021. - Breast Cancer Vaccines Explained. Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF).
https://www.bcrf.org/breast-cancer-vaccine-explainer/
Accessed on 17 December, 2021. - Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Prevention Vaccine. Cleveland Clinic.
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/podcasts/cancer-advances/triple-negative-breast-cancer-prevention-vaccine
Accessed on 17 December, 2021. - Cleveland Clinic Launches First-of-its-Kind Preventive Breast Cancer Vaccine Study. Cleveland Clinic.
https://newsroom.clevelandclinic.org/2021/10/26/cleveland-clinic-launches-first-of-its-kind-preventive-breast-cancer-vaccine-study/
Accessed on 17 December, 2021. - Trials begin for first vaccine candidate to prevent triple-negative breast cancer. Medical News Today.
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/trials-begin-for-first-vaccine-candidate-to-prevent-triple-negative-breast-cancer
Accessed on 17 December, 2021.
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