A Cancer First — Vaccine Offers Hope for Prostate CancerIn February of this year, news articles reported that a new "vaccine" is the first success in prolonging the lives in men with prostate cancer by using a treatment that trains the immune system to fight tumors. The approach is called a cancer vaccine, although unlike typical vaccines, it treats the disease rather than preventing it. The three-year University of California San Francisco study, lead by Dr. Eric Small (seen below), examined 127 men with advanced prostate cancer that had not spread to their bones, and who no longer responded to hormone therapy, the conventional treatment, but who had not yet experienced pain from the disease. Those who received the vaccine, (APC8015 - Provenge) — three doses over a six-week period - lived an average of 4.5 months longer than those given placebo. Researchers reported that survival was up 34 percent in the vaccine group, vs. 11 percent without. This means that after three years, three times are many vaccine patients were still alive (34 percent) compared with the placebo group (11 percent). While reactions as reported in the press have been generally optimistic, some have also pointed out that the study didn't achieve its goal of delaying the time when men's disease worsened. Additionally, there is a concern that the initial studies showed benefit for men with Gleason scores < 7. Current studies in work have shown a positive benefit in slowing time to disease progression as measured by PSA Doubling Time. The next step is to confirm these findings with a second independent study, planned for later this year, and the FDA has put the treatment on a "fast track" to speed up the normal study/review/approval process. Many in the medical community believe that the study is an important validation for development of future vaccines, used in cancer to rally the immune system, rather than being able to totally prevent cancer, as vaccines in other diseases do. Some believe that cancer vaccines are emerging as a promising fourth way to combat cancer, complementing existing treatments of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery. In any event, the vaccine may not be appropriate for all, and patients should consult their oncologist. Reported by Lindsey Bowman and compiled from CNN.com, Associated Press, New York Times Syndicate, San Francisco Chronicle news reports and Dendreon Corp. press release. Last updated June 2005 |