Posted on 04/08/2012 2:58:22 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY
A vaccine that can train cancer patients' own bodies to seek out and destroy tumour cells has been developed by scientists.
The therapy, which targets a molecule found in 90 per cent of all cancers, could provide a universal injection that allows patients' immune systems to fight off common cancers including breast and prostate cancer.
Preliminary results from early clinical trials have shown the vaccine can trigger an immune response in patients and reduce levels of disease.
The scientists behind the vaccine now hope to conduct larger trials in patients to prove it can be effective against a range of different cancers.
They believe it could be used to combat small tumours if they are detected early enough or to help prevent the return and spread of disease in patients who have undergone other forms of treatment such as surgery.
Cancer cells usually evade patient's immune systems because they are not recognised as being a threat. While the immune system usually attacks foreign cells such as bacteria, tumours are formed of the patient's own cells that have malfunctioned.
Scientists have, however, found that a molecule called MUC1, which is found in high amounts on the surface of cancer cells, can be used to help the immune system detect tumours.
The new vaccine, developed by drug company Vaxil Biotheraputics along with researchers at Tel Aviv University, uses a small section of the molecule to prime the immune system so that it can identify and destroy cancer cells.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Chavez is thrilled.
That's because these press releases are intended to raise money for technologies that have almost no hope of success. The company that makes this vaccine just did a reverse merger into a penny stock on the Tel Aviv stock exchange, which isn't a good sign.
If this vaccine had any hope they could have done a real IPO, been bought out by a larger company or received funding from a larger company which is common in biotech.
My last brush with cancer was via a beloved pet Lab I had treated, he did very well, happy as a clam until the day he died of unrelated causes.
During the course of going down to NC State, etc. for treatment, I had many conversations with both veterinary oncologists as well as other people having their pets treated.
The reason I mention this, is that there was at that time an extensive trial going on for a melanoma vaccine that apparently was proving not just effective for melanoma in dogs, but also for “off label” use with other cancers.
Veterinary trials in dogs are where just about every human cancer treatment we have began. Dogs and humans are affected by cancers very similarly, and respond to treatments very similarly as well.
I would inquire about this melanoma vaccine, if I were to find myself in such a position. This was in 2007.
Great. I hope they will let the public use it if it works.
A major problem with cancer is there are so many different kinds;and we use only one word to describe it.
A word like Polio describes well a problem some of us humans have had to cope with, and a vaccine for polio will work on just about everyone because it is a specific problem. there are not dozens of diferent types of Polios like ther are dozens of different types of cancers.
Cancers are many types and the best cure would be to get the person's immune system to go after the cancer cells and rid them from the body. So far that hasn't happened.
So we are into elaborate treatment and no real cures for the many cancers we face.
There a thousands of cancer patients who would be willing to try these new treatments. Many of them have, and are doing it daily, but there are no real solutions yet.I am sure some, as a last resort, have tried drugs that seemed to have worked on dogs. -tom
“Just about every year I read an article about a new cancer cure all drug.”
It’s like net positive fusion energy - these miracles have been 10-15 years away for the last fifty years.
Seriously, this type of approach seems to be very promising, as long as it doesn’t make “a mistake”, and trigger really, really nasty autoimmune illnesses. Once you turn that system “on”, it’s really, really difficult to stop.
This is another really interesting approach:
http://www.viewzone.com/nakedrats.html
(No, this link will not take you to naked Democrats.)
These nasty little buggers have an amazing resistance to cancer and the reason is now apparently known.
Looks like they got something in return for being fairly disgusting creatures:).
According to my 1st semester pharmacy notes, if a drug makes it this far it has about a 1 in 5 chance of making it to market. Sure hope it beats the odds.
The melanoma vaccine that I mentioned being in clinical trial in 2007 has gone on to receive USDA approval in 2010 and is in fact the only cancer vaccine for either animal or human to have done so. The name of it is Oncept, from Merial.
It's widely regarded as a promising step toward a human melanoma vaccine, following the veterinary canine to human medical pathway of so many cancer treatments.
Here is a more layman oriented blog discussion of this:
http://blog.targethealth.com/?p=17888
And, here is a more scholarly clinical PDF:
http://www.elsevierscitech.com/pdfs/molonc0910/1_Newerainmetastaticmelanoma.pdf
A vaccine *is* immunomodulation. The therapy in humans appears to be aided by a number of other therapies, such as anti-angiogenic treatments.
I would watch this closely if melanoma is an issue or even something to which one might be prone due to heredity.
Prayers for you and your wife.
Heartfelt prayers for you and your wife.
Thanks for the info.
I read the PDF and you can see what a complex problem cancer is since they are addressing a small part of the cancer problem.
Billions of dollars and the best minds in the world and over 60 years of research haven't been able to cure cancer, just treat it. -tom
Amen. Vaccines never have guaranteed immunity. Further they can be contaminated. Their preservatives can be less than appealing to take into your body. And many vaccines are made exploiting aborted stem cell lines, which automatically takes them off the table for me.
Sorry for your loss. My little sister (age 38) lost her battle with cancer last year.
Is this Draco (http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/opinions/76503/)?
If not, does anyone know what is happening on that front?
How, or why? I’ve seen both. Both remakes, Omega Men and I am Legend were better in every respect.
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