ET

GM cell vaccine gives hope of cure for lung cancer
By Roger Highfield, Science Editor

A PRELIMINARY trial of a lung cancer vaccine consisting of GM cells has shown encouraging results.

Evidence of anti-tumour activity in a trial on 30 patients with advanced or early-stage lung cancer was presented by Dr John Nemunaitis at the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting in San Francisco.

Of 22 patients with advanced-stage lung cancer that were vaccinated, three patients, two of whom had failed chemotherapy and one who failed radiation therapy, showed a disappearance of cancer that had spread (metastatic tumours). One other patient who failed radiation and chemotherapy had more than 50 per cent reduction in his tumour.

In addition, four patients currently have stable (non-progressive) disease. As well as the responses in patients with advanced disease, seven of eight patients with early-stage lung cancer who received GVAX vaccine following surgery remain free of disease.

Dr Nemunaitis said: "We are very encouraged by what we have seen to date with GVAX lung cancer vaccine." Dr Joseph Vallner, of the company that developed the vaccine, said: "GVAX vaccines have demonstrated evidence of anti-tumour activity in all five cancers in which they have been tested - lung, prostate, pancreatic, kidney and melanoma," .

-- Anonymous, May 14, 2001