The idea of preventing or even treating cancer with a vaccine has always faced a particular challenge: cancer cells originate in our bodies and a vaccine wouldn’t be able to distinguish good cells from bad ones. In order to develop a vaccine for cancer, the vaccine would need to target something secreted by the tumor that is not found in an otherwise healthy person.

Vincent Tuohy, M.D., a medical researcher at The Cleveland Clinic, has found just the target and he and his group are hoping to test this vaccine in women as early as 2011. In the case of breast cancer, the team discovered a protein that is secreted in women during two conditions: during lactation (breast-feeding)  and during cancer cell proliferation.

Since the protein, alpha-lactalbumin, is secreted in large amounts from breast tumors, Dr. Tuohy’s team decided to target this. Lab mice were genetically bred to be prone to breast cancer and some mice had active breast tumors. Half the mice were then given the vaccine with alpha-lactalbumin while the other half did not. Test results showed that all mice who received alpha-lactalbumin did not develop breast cancer and among those that did, the cancer inhibited the growth of the tumors. Those mice that didn’t receive the vaccine developed breast cancer.

Two Phase I clinical trials are proposed. The first one would be for women with advanced breast cancer and would test for dosage, toxicity and immune response while the second phase would be tested on women who have the genetic markers for breast cancer and who have elected to undergo prophylactic mastectomies. In this group, the amputated breasts would be examined for damage.

If the clinical trials are successful, the vaccine would be given to women over 40 as well as younger women who have the  BRCA1 or BRACA2 gene which predisposes them to breast cancer.  Women who become pregnant after receiving the vaccine would experience breast soreness and probably would not be able to breast feed.

The possiblity of cancer prevention and/or treatment using targeted vaccines remains very promising as long as the tumor expressed particular proteins not found in otherwise healthy individuals. In this particular case, Dr. Tuohy feels that if his vaccine works, breast cancer “will go the way of polio”.

For more information about the study, follow this link. You can also read the press release published by the Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute.

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