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09-28-2004, 10:59 AM
New Breast Cancer Vaccine Passes First Hurdle
Experimental Breast Cancer Vaccine Halts Tumors in Mice
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Sept. 14, 2004 -- An experimental breast cancer vaccine may eventually help treat or prevent up to 80% of breast cancers, according to preliminary tests.
Researchers say the vaccine is based on the protein mammaglobin-A, which has been found in 80% of breast cancer tumors but is largely absent in normal, healthy breast cells.
In a new study, researchers found that vaccination against the protein reversed tumor growth in mice bred to have breast cancer. The vaccine is thought to work by stimulating the immune system to launch an attack against breast cancer tumor cells.
Researchers say the results show for the first time that vaccination with the mammaglobin-A protein may provide a new alternative for breast cancer treatment and prevention.
The results appear in the Sept. 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers say that given the high frequency of mammaglobin-A in breast cancer tumors, and its total lack or low levels of the protein in normal breast tissue, this protein seems to be an important breast cancer-specific protein that could be used to induce a protective immune response in people at risk for breast cancer.
But this is only the first successful test of the breast cancer vaccine in laboratory mice, and researchers say much more study is needed before the treatment can be tested in humans.
For example, they say the mammaglobin-A protein is also found in low levels in some healthy breast tissue, and further research is needed avoid potentially dangerous side effects.
Experimental Breast Cancer Vaccine Halts Tumors in Mice
By Jennifer Warner
WebMD Medical News Reviewed By Brunilda Nazario, MD
on Tuesday, September 14, 2004
Sept. 14, 2004 -- An experimental breast cancer vaccine may eventually help treat or prevent up to 80% of breast cancers, according to preliminary tests.
Researchers say the vaccine is based on the protein mammaglobin-A, which has been found in 80% of breast cancer tumors but is largely absent in normal, healthy breast cells.
In a new study, researchers found that vaccination against the protein reversed tumor growth in mice bred to have breast cancer. The vaccine is thought to work by stimulating the immune system to launch an attack against breast cancer tumor cells.
Researchers say the results show for the first time that vaccination with the mammaglobin-A protein may provide a new alternative for breast cancer treatment and prevention.
The results appear in the Sept. 15 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Researchers say that given the high frequency of mammaglobin-A in breast cancer tumors, and its total lack or low levels of the protein in normal breast tissue, this protein seems to be an important breast cancer-specific protein that could be used to induce a protective immune response in people at risk for breast cancer.
But this is only the first successful test of the breast cancer vaccine in laboratory mice, and researchers say much more study is needed before the treatment can be tested in humans.
For example, they say the mammaglobin-A protein is also found in low levels in some healthy breast tissue, and further research is needed avoid potentially dangerous side effects.