Dendritic Cell-based Vaccine Stops Progression of Pancreatic Cancer
Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine have developed a dendritic cell-based therapeutic vaccine that can successfully halt the progression of pancreatic cancer in some patients three years after vaccination.
The vaccine is made up of a synthetic version of MUC1 (a tumor-associated protein that is expressed by pancreatic tumor cells) combined with the patient’s own dendritic cells, which act as the quarterbacks of the immune system by coordinating its attack against foreign invaders.
According to Andrew Lepisto, Ph.D., first author of the study and post-doctoral researcher, department of immunology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine:
“Pancreatic cancer is extremely resistant to chemotherapy and radiation and, as a result, has a very high mortality rate.
One strategy to improve the odds of survival is to help the immune system recognize the presence of pancreatic cancer cells and attack them.
Our study, although small, demonstrates that this strategy can be used with some success in pancreatic cancer patients by slowing down, or even stopping, the progression of cancer.”
One of the most difficult cancers to treat, pancreatic cancer is undetectable by a physical exam, asymptomatic and progresses quickly. Within six months of diagnosis, most patients die.
Findings of this study have been presented at the recent annual meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research.
Find more details from the full report.
Tags: dendritic-cells, pancreatic-cancer, tumor-protein-MUC1Related Stories
POSTED IN: on anti-cancer ingredients, on pancreatic cancer
0 opinions for Dendritic Cell-based Vaccine Stops Progression of Pancreatic Cancer
No one has left a comment yet. You know what this means, right? You could be first!
Have an opinion? Leave a comment: