New Skin Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise

[Angel]

New research indicates a vaccine under development could potentially help about one third of all people diagnosed with melanoma.

Researchers from The Wistar Institute in Philadelphia used a small protein called a peptide found in melanoma cells to launch a response from killer T cells against the cancer cells. Encouraged by the results, lead study author Dorothee Herlyn, D.V.M., says, "In our experiments, we saw a strong cancer-killing immune response when killer T cells are stimulated."

Because the protein is found only in cancer cells and not in normal cells, Dr. Herlyn expects the toxicity from the vaccine would be minimal. The vaccine would likely target only the cancer cells while leaving healthy cells alone.

The current study was done in the lab using blood samples from melanoma patients. Based on the findings, researchers hope to move toward human trials soon.

Another member of the study team, Brian Czerniecki, M.D., Ph.D., says there may be a way to entice an even greater response from the immune system.

He is looking into using a dendritic cell as a way to present to stimulate the T cell. The job of the dendritic cell is to present foreign material to the immune system. Dr. Czerniecki hopes this approach willserve as the basis for a treatment used in human clinical trials as well.