Hope for a cancer vaccine as scientists cure skin melanoma in 100% of mice in a trial

Hope for a cancer vaccine as scientists cure deadly skin melanoma in 100% of mice in a trial – and train the body to stop tumours coming back

The cocktail of drugs uses the body’s own immune system to fight the tumours
In a study all mice which took the drugs survived, and most that didn’t died
The injection also worked as a vaccine and prevented tumours returning
It trained the body to destroy the skin cancer tumours using white blood cells

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A jab which destroys skin cancer and stops it coming back could be one step closer, a study has revealed.

Scientists have created a cocktail of drugs which can fight off deadly melanoma with a 100 per cent success rate in mice.

They simply added a chemical known to stimulate the immune system to a drug already being tested for cancer therapy.

Within 54 days a single type of cancer killed 75 to 100 per cent of the mice given the drug without the chemical, but none of those receiving the combination.

The treatment works as an immunotherapy, using the immune system to fight the tumour, and also trains the body to be able to destroy the cancer again if it comes back – like a vaccine.

And when researchers tried to give the cured mice the same cancer again they couldn’t because the jab had immunised them against the tumours.

Further trials are being planned for the exciting therapy which could be a lifeline for the 91,000 Americans and 15,000 Brits diagnosed with melanoma each year.

Scientistsinjected mice with an immunotherapy drug and a chemical called Diprovocim, which is designed to make the jab work better, and saw 100 per cent of the mice survived, whereas between 75 and 100 per cent of the mice without Diprovocim died

A study by Scripps Research and the University of Texas tested a number of combinations of drugs on mice with deadly skin cancer.

Researchers used an immunotherapy drug alongside various chemicals intended to make it work better.

All mice were given the drug anti-PD-L1 and in one of three groups the animals were also given a chemical called Diprovocim.

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These mice had a 100 per cent survival rate, while in the other two groups between 75 and 100 per cent of the animals died.

The chemicals used are thought to act the same way in humans.

Researcher Dale Boger said: ‘This co-therapy produced a complete response – a curative response – in the treatment of melanoma.

‘Just as a vaccine can train the body to fight off external pathogens, this vaccine trains the immune system to go after the tumour.’

When scientists tried to make the cancer return, Dr Boger said: ‘It wouldn’t take. The animal is already vaccinated against it.’

The vaccine works by encouraging the body to create white blood cells called leukocytes, which specifically target cancerous tumours.

And it continues to work after the cancer had been destroyed, suggesting it successfully teaches the body how to fight off the disease.

In addition, the drugs were not injected directly into the tumour but elsewhere in the body and were carried to the right place by the immune system.

This suggests the therapy could even be used to tackle tumours which haven’t been spotted by doctors if the body can find them itself.

The team’s findings were published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

WHAT IS MELANOMA AND HOW CAN YOU PREVENT IT?

Melanoma is the most dangerous form of skin cancer. It happens after the DNA in skin cells is damaged (typically due to harmful UV rays) and then not repaired so it triggers mutations that can form malignant tumors.

The American Cancer Society estimates that more than 91,000 people will be diagnosed with melanoma in the US in 2018 and more than 9,000 are expected to die from it.

Causes

Sun exposure: UV and UVB rays from the sun and tanning beds are harmful to the skin
Moles: The more moles you have, the greater the risk for getting melanoma
Skin type: Fairer skin has a higher risk for getting melanoma
Hair color: Red heads are more at risk than others
Personal history: If you’ve had melanoma once, then you are more likely to get it again
Family history: If previous relatives have been diagnosed, then that increases your risk

Treatment

Removal of the melanoma:

This can be done by removing the entire section of the tumor or by the surgeon removing the skin layer by layer. When a surgeon removes it layer by layer, this helps them figure out exactly where the cancer stops so they don’t have to remove more skin than is necessary.

Skin grafting:

The patient can decide to use a skin graft if the surgery has left behind discoloration or an indent.

Immunotherapy, radiation treatment or chemotherapy:

This is needed if the cancer reaches stage III or IV. That means that the cancerous cells have spread to the lymph nodes or other organs in the body.

Prevention

Use sunscreen and do not burn
Avoid tanning outside and in beds
Apply sunscreen 30 minutes before going outside
Keep newborns out of the sun
Examine your skin every month
See your physician every year for a skin exam

Source: Skin Cancer Foundation and American Cancer Society

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