Scientists make major breakthrough in treating aggressive form of breast cancer

Scientists have said that there is a cause for optimism after presenting the findings on a new treatment for an aggressive form of breast cancer.

The treatment takes the form of a vaccine, and is targeted specifically at a type of breast cancer called 'Triple Negative Breast Cancer' (TNBC).

This is an extremely aggressive variety of breast cancer in which tumours grow more quickly, meaning that fewer treatment options are open to patients.

It can also have a high chance of returning even after a patient goes into remission.

The 'triple negative' element of the cancer refers to the fact the cancer cells do not have receptors for the hormones estrogen and progesterone, meaning that many normal treatments for breast cancer don't work for this.

All of this means that there is a dire need for treatments which can target triple negative cancer specifically.

The new treatment consists of a vaccine which was administered in three different doses during trials.

Alvaro Medina Jurado

It was tested on sixteen volunteers who had previously been treated successfully for TNBC, and was found to successfully produce a T Cell Immune response in patients, meaning that it could be useful in fighting breast cancer.

Patients in the trial also did not report many significant side effects from the vaccine.

In a press release, Dr Amit Kumar, Chairman and CEO of vaccine developers Anixa Biosciences said: “The data from our Phase 1 trial to date has exceeded our expectations, and we are pleased with our progress."

He added: “This vaccine is designed to direct the immune system to destroy TNBC cancer cells through a mechanism that has never previously been utilized for cancer vaccine development.”

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Now, medics are looking to continue the research in an effort to make the treatment useful in trying to prevent more severe treatments such as mastectomies.

Medical oncologist at the Cleveland Clinic Dr G. Thomas Budd explained: “Now, that's a tough group to study because it's not a large group.

“It's going to take a long time for patients to develop cancer, and of course there are surgical options at present. But it would be a very exciting approach, and we're really looking forward to trying to get funding to do these additional trials.”

Budd continued: “There is a large unmet need for preventing TNBC, an aggressive form of breast cancer with few targeted treatment options available. [...] Our hope is that future studies will demonstrate that the antigen-specific T cell responses we observed translate to the prevention of breast cancer recurrence.”