Sixteen patients with cancer pancreas. A team of researchers from the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, led by Dr. Vinod Balachandran and with the participation of BioNTech scientists. An experiment that lasted eighteen months. His results were published a few days ago in the scientific journal Nature. And a lot of expectations: for a vaccine for this form of cancer, third deadliest in the US and seventh in the world. Is there any reason to be optimistic about the publication of the study?

“First, let’s see what exactly happened. Sixteen patients were operated on. Samples of their tumors were sent to Germany. There, in the laboratories of BioNTech, the genetic composition of certain proteins on the surface of cancer cells was analyzed and obtained. personalized vaccines designed to “teach” each patient’s immune system how to attack tumors. Like this particular company’s COVID-19 vaccines, in collaboration with Pfizer, the pancreatic cancer vaccines are based on messenger RNA known mRNA,” explains K Christos Christodoulou, Director of the 2nd Division of Oncology. Metropolitan Hospital Clinic. “Their vaccinations were preceded by a dose of immunotherapy followed by appropriate chemotherapy. Eight participants experienced stimulation of T-lymphocytes, the main regulators of our immune response.In other words, the vaccine seemed to “work”. These patients had no recurrences, no metastases for a year and a half, which lasted for the study. “In contrast, some of the rest, whose T-lymphocytes did not appear to be affected by the vaccine, relapsed within thirteen months.”

This is an innovative approach that gives hope to those who are fighting cancer. But let’s be realistic: sample is insufficient and mass production of such a vaccine may never take place. “It will take several years until the study is implemented in clinical practice and such a vaccine is tested on a large number of patients so that we can be sure of its safety and effectiveness. Procedures have accelerated compared to the past, perhaps the pandemic has contributed to this, but it’s definitely not about the near future. However, the message is certainly reassuring. It is enough to remember that the vaccine is not preventive; does not protect against cancer. It is a therapeutic agent in combination with other agents included in the context of immunotherapy, and not alone,” explains Mr. Christodoulou. “Even if everything goes according to plan and one day it is released, this will not solve the problem of cancer. certain tumors, and if you’re interested in my opinion, there are other methods that are more promising than vaccines, such as monoclonal antibodies attached to chemotherapeutic molecules.”

“Finding new weapons against cancer is always the goal”

Another, no less interesting aspect of the issue is covered by Ilias Athanasiadis, oncologist-pathologist, head of the oncology clinic of Mitera Hospital. “The search for new weapons against cancer is always a goal, and every step we take as a scientific community creates reasonable hope for millions of sick people around the world, as well as their loved ones. However, this vaccine, precisely because it is individualized, i. developed using each patient’s tumor antigens greatly increases the difficulty index at a practical level in terms of its preparation and administration. This requires a huge chain: laboratories equipped with high-tech equipment and specialized personnel. In Greece, as well as in other countries, there are no such infrastructures capable of “lifting” such a project. Even if such a vaccine were produced, the cost would be enormous. How many insurance companies will cover the costs, how many insurance funds?”

It is positive for Mr. Athanasiadis that research is beginning to focus on this area as well, on active immunity with modified lymphocytes that will attack cancerous tumors, but the road will be long and difficult. “Anyway, what would I personally want? The advantage of new knowledge that may arise is to share it with as many people as possible. There should be no patients with multiple speeds. Those who can buy the vaccine, and others who are left to themselves…”

Third deadliest form of cancer in the US

Pancreatic cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the United States and the seventh leading cause worldwide. The survival rate does not exceed 12% and has remained unchanged for almost sixty years, despite leaps in medicine and biotechnology. Surgery remains the only curative approach. Approximately 90% of patients have a relapse of the disease within 7-9 months on average, and the expected survival rate for more than five years does not exceed 10%.