An experimental vaccine could help women diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer The vaccine teaches patients’ immune systems to identify and attack cancer cells About 16 out of 18 patients remained cancer-free three years after receiving the vaccine THURSDAY, Nov. 14, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- An experimental vaccine could offer fresh hope to women diagnosed with an aggressive and hard-to-treat form of breast cancer , new research suggests. The vaccine appears to be safe and effective against triple-negative breast cancer -- a type that can’t be treated with hormone therapy because it isn’t driven by any of the three hormones that typically fuel breast cancer.
The good news? Sixteen of 18 patients remained cancer-free three years after receiving the vaccine, which taught their immune systems to kill off any remaining cancer cells, according to results published Nov. 13 in the journal Genome Medicine . By comparison, only half of patients who receive surgery alone remain cancer-free after three years, according to historical data.
“These results were better than we expected,” said senior researcher Dr. William Gillanders , a professor of surgery at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.
The early clinical trial involved 18 patients with triple-negative breast cancer that hadn’t spread elsewhere in the body. About 10% to 15% of the breast cancers that occur in the United States are triple-negative, according to the National Breast Cancer Foundat.