- Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust is testing a vaccine to beat bowel cancer
The first vaccine to treat colon cancer could be available in just two years, potentially ending the need for surgery.
In a world first, doctors from the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust are testing the jab on patients in Great Britain and Australia.
Scientists are hopeful that the treatment – given in three doses two weeks apart – will train the immune system to fight and shrink the cancer.
If successful, it could eliminate the need for the current standard treatment – surgery to remove the tumor – while preventing cancer from returning in the future.
The vaccine was developed by Dr Tony Dhillon, consultant medical oncologist at the Royal Surrey, and Professor Tim Price from the University of Adelaide.
The first vaccine to treat colon cancer could be available in just two years, potentially ending the need for surgery (Stock Image)
In a world first, doctors from the Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust are testing the jab on patients in Great Britain and Australia (stock image)
He said: ‘This is the first treatment vaccine for gastrointestinal cancer and we are hopeful that it will be very successful.
‘We believe that in many of these patients the vaccine will completely eradicate the cancer. That’s the level we’re talking about, not just shrinkage.
‘There are drugs that already target these proteins and produce big responses, but people have to keep taking them forever, so we expect our vaccine to be just as good or even better.
“It feels like we’re on the cusp of something really big with this vaccine, we’re very excited.” The vaccine targets a subtype of colon cancer, which accounts for about 15 percent of all cases.
This particular form of cancer is known as ‘hypermutated’ and attracts immune cells but is unable to fight the disease.
The vaccine, made by biotech company Imugene, targets the protein that causes a ‘break’ in the immune system, essentially ‘activating’ the body’s immune response.
It will first be tested in 44 patients in stages two or three of the disease, before the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, at ten UK sites and in Australia.
Patients will have an endoscopy and a tissue sample tested to see if they qualify. They then undergo scans before receiving the three jabs, two weeks apart.
Another scan will be done before they undergo surgery to remove the remaining cancer.
The trial is being run by Cancer Research UK’s Southampton Clinical Trials Unit, with sites in Royal Surrey and Manchester Christie.
Dr. Dhillon, principal investigator of the study, added: ‘We hope that if we follow patients over time, not only will the tumor shrink and the surgery will become easier, and cure them, but that survival will improve because the immune system is activated and their B cells are activated.
If successful, the vaccine could eliminate the need for the current standard treatment – surgery to remove the tumor – while preventing cancer from returning in the future.
‘Our vaccine is designed to activate T cells – the business and killer cells – and the memory B cells, so you don’t have to keep giving it.
“This is very exciting because it would be a ready-made vaccine, a one-size-fits-all vaccine.” Bowel cancer is the fourth most common cancer in Britain, with almost 43,000 people diagnosed every year.
If successful, researchers are confident it could be licensed for use within two years, with further trials conducted on patients in stage four and various types of cancer.
Louise Stead, CEO of Royal Surrey, said: “We are extremely proud to have been involved in the launch of this groundbreaking new vaccine.
‘Helping to fight cancer is a big part of what we do and this will provide real opportunities for bowel cancer patients and give them real hope to beat the disease.’