A groundbreaking trial has shown that a personalized therapeutic vaccine can induce successful anti-cancer immune responses and keep patients with advanced kidney cancer cancer-free for approximately three years after treatment. The vaccine, which targets specific mutations unique to the tumor, was found to be well-tolerated and effective in boosting cancer-fighting T cells.
The trial, led by Yale Cancer Center’s Dr. David Braun, involved nine patients with stage III or IV clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Patients received multiple doses of the personalized cancer vaccine, which identified and destroyed specific mutated cells driving tumor growth. The results showed that all nine patients had an immune response within three weeks, and cancer-fighting T cells remained elevated for years afterward.
Unlike current standard treatments, which often rely on immunotherapy drugs to “release the brakes” on the immune system, this personalized vaccine steers the immune system toward a specific target unique to the tumor. This approach has shown promise in improving post-surgery treatment options and reducing the risk of cancer recurrence.
The trial’s results are promising, but more patients are needed to confirm the vaccine’s effectiveness and explore its full potential. The researchers plan to conduct an ongoing phase II study combining the personalized cancer vaccine with targeted therapy Keytruda.
Source: https://medicine.yale.edu/news-article/personalized-therapeutic-vaccine-steers-the-immune-system-to-fight-kidney-cancer