A new study published in Nature has shown promising results for a personalized cancer vaccine in treating clear cell renal cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of kidney cancer. The vaccine demonstrated anti-cancer immune responses in nine patients with stage 3 and 4 disease, keeping them cancer-free for nearly three years after treatment.
The vaccine was tested on patients who had undergone surgery to remove their tumors, followed by the administration of a personalized cancer vaccine. Researchers found that all patients experienced strong anti-tumor immune responses, which helped prevent cancer relapse.
Clear cell renal cell carcinoma is different from other types of cancer in terms of its mutation burden – or the number of genetic mutations it contains. This makes it a challenging target for cancer vaccines, as researchers need to work harder to create effective treatments. However, the new study shows that even with lower mutation burdens, personalized vaccines can still generate strong immune responses.
This breakthrough has significant implications for patients with rare and aggressive forms of kidney cancer, who currently have limited treatment options beyond surgery. Further research is needed to explore the potential of this vaccine in larger patient populations.
Source: https://www.curetoday.com/view/personalized-cancer-vaccine-demonstrates-responses-in-kidney-cancer