A Decades Old Cancer Vaccine Suggests A Strategy For Improving Today’s Cancer Therapy

Vidcast:  https://www.instagram.com/p/DcWqiJwuoyQ/More than two decades ago, women with advanced HER2-positive breast cancer received an experimental vaccine. Researchers later found that the patients who survived more than 18 years still had immune cells capable of recognizing their cancer. Their long-lasting capable killer cells all bore CD27, a marker associated with long-lasting immune memory.Fast forward to the present day. Duke University investigators tested this idea in mice. The results: combining a HER2 vaccine with an antibody that activates CD27 produces complete tumor regression in about 40% of mice, compared with just 6% receiving the vaccine alone. Adding additional therapy to enhance CD8 T cells pushed tumor rejection to nearly 90%.This study suggest that CD4 “helper” T cells appear to play a much bigger role than scientists once thought. The researchers believe strengthening this immune memory by triggering CD27 could eventually make cancer vaccines more effective and longer lasting.Keep in mind, though, that this new strategy remains experimental and has not yet been shown to improve survival in people.References On My Website. #CancerVaccine #BreastCancer #CancerResearch #Immunotherapy #HealthNews