Athens, GA (WXIA) -- Researchers at the University of Georgia could be on their way to finding a cure for breast cancer. For the past 3 years, professors at UGA's Complex Carbohydrate Research Center have been working on ways to convince the body's immune system to attack cancer cells.
UGA researchers have teamed up with the Mayo Clinic in Arizona to develop a vaccine that attacks breast cancer in mice. They say the vaccine dramatically reduces tumors in a mouse model that mimics the majority of human breast and pancreatic cancer cases. Their study was recently featured in the journal of the National Academy of Sciences, a journal.
UGA scientist Geert-Jan Boons said the vaccine is part of a new strategy for treating cancer. Boons said the strategy "elicits a very strong immune response."
They discovered the glycol-proteins growing on the outside of a cancer cell are different from the proteins growing outside a normal cell. The cancer causes the proteins to lose sugar and shrink. The body's immune system doesn't recognize the difference. The vaccine convinces the immune system to recognize and attack the cancer cells. Tests on mice have been an overwhelming success, causing a variety of tumors to shrink 80 to 90 percent.
"The fact that we are preparing for clinical trials should tell you that this has a very good chance at working with humans", Boons said. He adds that's probably another 7 or 8 years away because clinical trials take a long time.
The first clinical trials on humans will begin around 2013. It will focus on breast cancer. The vaccine could work on a variety of cancers-prostate, pancreatic, possibly even lung cancer.
By the way, the Cleveland Clinic developed a prototype for a breast cancer vaccine back in 2010. We contacted one of the lead investigators there, Dr. Vincent Tuohy, about the UGA research, and he thinks it does sound promising for cancer treatment. While he's working on designing one to prevent breast cancer specifically, the UGA vaccine is thereapeutic and designed to treat multiple cancers.
Myth or Fact? What you need to know about breast cancer:
(Information provided by: Breast Cancer Society)
1. Breast cancer is preventable. Myth. Breast cancer is not preventable and largely occurs by chance.
2. Plastic surgery causes breast cancer. Myth. There is no relation between breast augmentation/plastic surgery and increased breast cancer risk.
3. Women with small breasts have reduced risks of getting breast cancer. Myth. There is no known connection between the likelihood of getting breast cancer and a woman's breast size. Large breasts, however, may be more difficult to examine.
4. A dairy-free diet prevents breast cancer. Myth. This is not true. There is no evidence to support this claim.
5. Caffeine causes breast cancer. Myth. No connection has been discovered between getting breast cancer and drinking caffeine.
6. Breast cancer only comes in the form of a lump. Myth. A lump can indicate you have breast cancer, but women should also be aware of other bodily signals like swelling, dimpling, skin irritation, nipple/breast pain.
7. Overweight women have the same breast cancer risks as other women. Myth. Obese or overweight women do have increase risks. This is especially true for women past menopause and/or women who have gained weight later in life.
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