Cancer "vaccine" eliminates tumors in mice

[+ azdr0710]

though this first article is six days old, hours-old stories are popping up.....is this big?....or not so much?

 

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/01/cancer-vaccine-eliminates-tumors-in-mice.html

 

http://abc7.com/science/researchers-say-new-vaccine-eliminates-cancer-in-mice/3043219/

[+ purplekow]

While this sounds promising, this could be a tale Of Mice and Men. Effectiveness in mice does not necessarily mean success in humans. Side effects in mice might not represent what will happen in humans. Usually, unless there is unmistakeable evidence of effectiveness, this kind of treatment, even if effective might take years to develop into a safe protocol for humans. However, the concept of immune boosting has been around for awhile, but mostly as a targeted specific immune booster against a particular tumor antigen. This method suggests that therapy may not need to be precise and that a broad spectrum approach might be viable without the damaging of healthy cells.

Certainly bears watching.

Edited February 7, 2018 by purplekow

[+ sniper]

I'm sure this sort of thing has happened before. One issue is that mice simply don't live long enough for some potential problems to come up.

[+ nycman]

It’s interesting,

 

They seem to be selectively activating T-cells within the

tumors and thus “selecting” cells that are specifically

able to attack the cancer without broadly stimulating

the entire immune system.

 

Their results are impressive. While it’s not quiet a

magic bullet (there were treatment failures and relapses),

it’s a fascinating development.

[Guest]

though this first article is six days old, hours-old stories are popping up.....is this big?

It’s big for mice. Maybe humans, too, some day. Stay tuned.

[mike carey]

I'm sure this sort of thing has happened before. One issue is that mice simply don't live long enough for some potential problems to come up.

Age is a relative thing. Where age is a factor in the development of disease it happens in different species at the same relative age. So if a disease in humans happened in the last quarter of their life span, you would expect it in a similar stage of a mouse's life span. (Recent - in historical terms - lengthening human lifespans have increased the amount of 'average lifespan' that is in older, more risky ages for these sorts of disease.)

[+ GregM]

As a Cancer survivor and as someone whos lost a couple family members friends and could have lost a dear friend but she fought and won, I welcome any step forward in destroying this icky bug. This particular step forward might be the exact key but it could lead to other awesome discoveries.

 

Hugs,

Greg