Clinical tests of an immunotherapy treatment against breast cancer have shown positive signs and the researchers will take them to the head even more probable in the coming years.
The ability of this therapy is to teach the body to find and kill cancer cells without harming healthy ones. A vaccine for breast cancer (do not forget it: the only amazing breasts are healthy ones. And prevention, I recommend). That's not all, however: even tests on other neoplasms have given positive signals.
For researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, a vaccine that prevents the onset and development of breast and ovarian cancer will be available in less than 10 years.
Scientific evidence shows the total removal of cancer cells in one patient, and another in the remission phase.
“The treatment stimulates the patient's immune response, whose immune cells attack the diseased cells,” says Dr. Saranya Chumsri, oncologist of the renowned medical center.
It still takes a little
Before the vaccine is available, authorization will need to be obtained from the FDA to start phase 3 clinical trials. It will take a maximum of 3 years, but the researchers hope to get the green light even sooner.
“It's reasonable to assume that we will have a vaccine by 2027, and it will be available in pharmacies or from your doctor,” says Mayo researcher Keith L. Knutson.
The characteristics of the vaccines
“We know they're healthy,” Knutson says. “We know that they stimulate the immune system and have a major impact on breast and ovarian cancer. We found no adverse effects or irritation. We will now forward our strong case of clinical findings to the FDA.”
Since the 90s, immunologists have been multiplying their efforts to destroy cancer without affecting healthy cells (as happens with chemotherapy and radiotherapy).
Immunotherapy may be the ideal solution, but there are many different types of cancer, over 100, and it is not easy to imagine a vaccine for each of them anytime soon, like the breast cancer vaccine they are developing.
Despite these difficulties, the immune therapy market will grow to 102 billion euros in 2023.
Chumsri and Kutson are aware that it will be difficult to develop a vaccine for any type of cancer, but in the meantime they are happy to have put the first two on the right track.
