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Mesothelioma vaccine – Is it really useful?

Catherine A. Murphy

There has been a breakthrough in the treatment for mesothelioma. This deadly and rare form of cancer caused due to exposure to asbestos did not have any cure but recently a new vaccine has been developed. This vaccine has dendritic cells (DC) which is combined with the antigen of the mesothelioma tumor of the patient and is injected into the body of the patient.

These dendritic cells are immune in nature and are found in the human body. They help in processing antigen material and improve the immune system of the body. When these dendritic cells are removed and again injected into the body, then the body is ready for it with triggered immune system to reject cancerous mesothelioma tumors and also repel them from the body.

The role of the vaccine is to increase the T-cell response against the cancerous tumors caused by mesothelioma. This kind of enhancement of immune system in the body by administration of dendritic cells is called as Immunotherapy. Through this process, the natural immune system of the body is used to fight and destroy the mesothelioma cancerous cells

How does the vaccine work on Mesothelioma Patients?

Scientists working on the vaccine for mesothelioma chose about 10 patients suffering from malignant pleural mesothelioma of the epithelial subtype. They collected their blood samples and cultured their immature DC and exposed it to the antigen formed by the malignant tumor of the patients. Apart from this, the DCs were also exposed to the keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). This is used as an indicator or a surrogate marker to find out the immune response. Once this is done, the DCs were injected back into the body of the patients after they are matured. This is being treated on mesothelioma patients for over a period of two weeks in three doses.

Success of Mesothelioma Vaccine

When this was done, the serum samples of the blood of these patients were again checked and it was found that there was an increase of pre- versus post-vaccine antibodies to KLH. There was an increase in cytotoxicity against the tumors of these patients after the vaccine was administered into their bodies. This is the toxic material in the cancerous cells and this reacted effectively against the mesothelioma tumors. The malignant tumor in some patients regressed due to the increase in T-cells. Apart from the regression of the tumor, they also saw lesser side effects. There were also no signs of autoimmune diseases caused due to the administration of vaccines. The median survival was 19 months and 1 patient is still alive.

Thus a mesothelioma vaccine can help the patients to live longer as well as protect them from the spreading of the tumor by developing immunity to the cancer that severely affects the lungs and other body organs. This type of treatment also called as immunotherapy is one of the new treatment options being considered by scientists for mesothelioma in a big way and further clinical tests and research is still underway to get definite results.

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