Vaccine targets lingering cancer cells, prevents recurrence

Investigators at Johns Hopkins are advancing a vaccine devised from leukemia cells that can attack the cancer cells that linger in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. And the researchers say their approach could help significantly reduce the likelihood of a relapse by mopping up dangerous cells in patients who have been treated with Gleevec.

The scientists took CML cells and irradiated them to prevent any cancerous reaction. They were then altered to spur development of an immune system stimulator and tagged with antigens that would mark CML cells for destruction. And the scientists tested their theory in 19 patients who continued to suffer from measurable levels of CML cells despite being treated with Gleevec. After a median of 72 months of follow-up, the number of remaining cancer cells declined in 13 patients, 12 of whom reached their lowest levels of residual cancer cells. In seven patients, CML became completely undetectable.

"We want to get rid of every last cancer cell in the body, and using cancer vaccines may be a good way to mop up residual disease," says Hyam Levitsky, M.D., professor of oncology, medicine and urology at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center.

- check out the report for more information

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