Experimental Drug Trains Immune System to Shrink Tumors

abc ^ | June 2, 2012 | Carrie Gann

[BenLurkin]

An experimental cancer drug successfully shrank tumors in patients with different kinds of cancer, including typically hard-to-treat lung cancers, according to a new study. Oncologists said the research was encouraging, but more study was needed to know whether the drug would prolong life for cancer patients.

The study, led by Dr. Suzanne Topalian, was presented today at the Super Bowl of cancer professionals, a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology, and published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

In a small, early phase study, researchers used a drug targeting a portion of the body's immune system, a pathway called PD-1, which usually works to stop the body from fighting cancerous tumors. By shutting down the pathway, the drug stokes the body's immune system to fight tumor cells.

Researchers gave the drug to nearly 240 patients with advanced melanoma, colorectal, prostate, kidney and lung cancers. All the patients had tried up to five other treatments, which failed. After up to two years on the drug, tumors shrank in 26 of 94 patients with melanoma, nine of 33 patients with kidney cancer and 14 of 76 patients with lung cancer.

The drug was not without side effects. About 14 percent of patients in the trial reported conditions such as skin rashes, diarrhea or breathing problems.

[Getready]

I wonder why the drug didn’t work on 100 percent of all
the tumors? I wonder if the side effects will be the
limiting factor in the treatment? Time will tell.

[aimhigh]

I wonder why the drug didn’t work on 100 percent of all the tumors?

Part of the reason is that the people had already gone through chemo. Their immune systems were already compromised. This is why most other potentially successful cancer treatments fail. The system is engineered to fail new treatments.

[geologist]

My cousin that lives in Anchorage , Alaska, has had bone/blood cancer for about 5 years, ... removed a tumor from his spine, and he has had chemo treatments. He has had a few surgery's. He is on a new drug now for cancer treatment that works by it now allowing the cancer to form any blood systems. It is a 21 day treatment of pills that costs $12,000,00 for 21 pills? He is on his third go round and so far he is feeling pretty good. No apparent side effects. I wrote the name down, but I am not where it is. I'll try to post it later.

He is hopeful, and somewhat encouraged. He is a test case and so it costs him nothing but the risk involved.