A new type of mRNA vaccine, added to standard cancer treatment, could help some patients with pancreatic cancer live longer. A small study at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center tested this approach and found promising results.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest types of cancer. It is hard to detect early, and even with surgery and chemotherapy, many patients see their cancer return. Researchers are looking for new ways to help the immune system fight back, and this vaccine is one of the latest ideas being tested.
One of the patients in the study was Barbara Brigham, a 74-year-old librarian from Long Island. She joined the trial after doctors found cancer in her pancreas during a routine checkup. Knowing that her time might be limited, she was willing to try anything that could give her more years with her family.
The vaccine is different from the ones used for diseases like the flu or COVID-19. Instead of preventing cancer, it helps the body recognize and attack cancer cells. Scientists create each vaccine using a sample of the patient’s tumor. The idea is to train the immune system to recognize cancer cells as a threat so it can destroy them.
To make the vaccine, doctors first remove the tumor during surgery and send it to BioNTech, a German biotech company. There, scientists analyze the tumor’s unique genetic changes and create a vaccine designed just for that patient.
After surgery, the patient receives this custom-made vaccine along with chemotherapy and another type of treatment that boosts the immune system.
Normally, the immune system does not attack the body’s own cells, even if they turn into cancer. This is one of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment. Dr. Vinod Balachandran, a pancreatic cancer expert, explained that the goal of the vaccine is to “teach” the immune system to fight back.
The study included 16 patients. Eight of them had a strong immune response after getting the vaccine. Among those eight, six remained cancer-free for over three years. In contrast, most of the patients who did not respond to the vaccine saw their cancer return.
One surprising finding was the possible link between the spleen and how well the vaccine worked. The spleen is an important organ for the immune system. Many pancreatic cancer patients have their spleens removed during surgery.
The researchers noticed that most of the patients who responded well to the vaccine still had their spleens. However, because the study was small, more research is needed to confirm if the spleen plays a key role.
Dr. Suneel Kamath, an oncologist at Cleveland Clinic who reviewed the study, said the results show that it is possible to make a working vaccine for pancreatic cancer.
However, the survival rates of these patients were similar to what is seen with regular surgery and chemotherapy. This means that while the vaccine creates an immune response, it is still unclear how much it improves survival in the long run.
A larger trial is now in progress. This time, researchers are focusing on patients whose spleens are still intact to see if they have better outcomes. If the results continue to be positive, this could change how pancreatic cancer is treated in the future.
One of the big advantages of mRNA vaccines is that they can be made quickly. Dr. Kamath pointed out that, just like with COVID-19 vaccines, scientists can develop cancer vaccines much faster than older methods. Since each person’s cancer is unique, this ability to create personalized vaccines is a major breakthrough.
Scientists are also testing mRNA vaccines for other cancers, such as melanoma, lung cancer, and kidney cancer. These cancers tend to have more genetic changes, which might make them better targets for this type of treatment.
For Barbara Brigham, the trial gave her something priceless—more time. Since joining the study, she has been able to welcome her eighth grandchild and celebrate her brother’s 60th wedding anniversary. She feels grateful for the opportunity to participate in this research and hopes it will help future patients.
Review and Analysis
This study provides an exciting step forward in cancer research. It shows that personalized mRNA vaccines can trigger an immune response against pancreatic cancer, which was previously thought to be very difficult.
However, the study was small, with only 16 patients, so the results are not enough to prove that the vaccine alone was responsible for the improvements seen in some patients.
One important limitation is that the survival rates in this trial were not significantly higher than those in patients who receive only surgery and chemotherapy.
This suggests that while the vaccine may help the immune system fight cancer, it may not be a game-changer on its own. More research is needed to confirm its benefits and understand who is most likely to respond.
The possible role of the spleen in the vaccine’s effectiveness is an interesting finding. If future studies confirm this, doctors might reconsider removing the spleen in certain cancer surgeries.
Overall, while this is not yet a cure for pancreatic cancer, it is an exciting development. If larger trials confirm these findings, personalized mRNA vaccines could become an important new tool in cancer treatment.
The research findings can be found in Nature.
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