Cleveland Clinic provides update on breast cancer vaccine: 'A new chapter'

Encouraging results from Cleveland Clinic researchers suggest that a breast cancer vaccine may be closer to becoming a reality.

In Texas, researchers at the Society for Immunotherapy of Cancer recently presented updated findings from a study on a new vaccine aimed at treating triple-negative breast cancer, according to a press release.

According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), breast cancer that is highly aggressive, known as triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), is a type of cancer.

Less aggressive types of breast cancer grow and spread more slowly, making them easier to treat.

The Cleveland Clinic is currently researching a breast cancer vaccine that aims to prevent triple-negative breast cancer from developing, as stated by G. Thomas Budd, M.D., the principal investigator of the phase 1 study at the clinic's Cancer Institute.

α-lactalbumin, a protein found in breast tissue that is involved in lactation, is used in the vaccine. This protein is no longer produced after a woman stops having children, according to Budd's statement to Planet Chronicle Digital.

"Using a retired lactation protein as a breast cancer vaccine autoantigen was logical because most breast cancers occur in women over 40, and most of those women have stopped breastfeeding," he stated.

Budd stated that this protein is not present in normal, aging breast tissues but is highly expressed in over 70% of triple-negative breast cancers.

He stated that the investigational vaccine could be a potential new approach to fighting breast cancer.

"It represents a paradigm shift in how we approach cancer care — focusing on prevention rather than treatment after the fact."

The investigational vaccine was generally well-tolerated and produced an immune response in most patients, as found in the Phase 1 trial, according to a Cleveland Clinic press release.

The release stated that the team presented the vaccine's side effects, highest tolerated dose, and immunologic effects.

The Phase 1 trial, funded by the U.S. Department of Defense, was conducted at Cleveland Clinic's main campus in collaboration with Anixa Biosciences, Inc., a California-based biotechnology company focused on cancer treatment and prevention.

It included 26 patients in three separate groups.

Nearly two decades of research by the late Vincent Tuohy, PhD, of Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, led to these findings, according to Budd.

Anixa intends to conduct a Phase 2 study next year to evaluate the vaccine's effectiveness.

Budd stated that our hope is that future studies will show that the antigen-specific T cell responses we observed can prevent triple-negative breast cancer recurrence.

The emergence of breast cancer vaccines is considered revolutionary and thrilling by Dr. Nicole Saphier, a Planet Chronicle medical contributor.

Saphier, who was not involved in the research, stated to Planet Chronicle Digital that the study represents a paradigm shift in cancer care by emphasizing prevention rather than treatment after the fact.

"Successful vaccines could significantly decrease the occurrence of breast cancer, saving numerous lives and alleviating the emotional, physical, and financial tolls of cancer treatment."

The doctor emphasized the importance of breast cancer vaccine development for high-risk individuals, stating that it also has the potential to provide broader public health benefits by reducing the societal and economic impact of cancer.

For more Health articles, visit planetchronicle.net/health

The cancer community is eagerly anticipating advancements in cancer prevention strategies, which could usher in a new era of cancer prevention.