MONDAY, June 7, 2004 (HealthDayNews) -- An experimental vaccine to treat pancreatic cancer appears safe and stimulates immune activity, according to preliminary results from a study.
Researchers report the finding June 7 at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology in New Orleans.
These early findings indicate that the vaccine, a synthetic version of the molecule MUC1 expressed on pancreatic tumor cells, works in combination with a patient's own antigen cells (dendritic cells) to boost immune activity. This boost in immune activity may slow progression of pancreatic cancer.
"Studies have shown that chemotherapy or radiation treatments are not very effective for pancreatic patients and surgery can be very complicated, contributing to high mortality rates," principal investigator Dr. Ramesh Ramanathan, an associate professor at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, said in a prepared statement.
"By working on ways to stimulate the immune system in these patients, we have found that MUC1 vaccines are in general well-tolerated and stimulate in some patients immune responses that can potentially benefit patients who receive the vaccine," Ramanathan said.
The study included 12 patients with pancreatic cancer who had surgery to remove the cancer.
More information
The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about pancreatic cancer.
