A woman with advanced cervical cancer has become one of the first people in
the UK to trial a new vaccine designed to stimulate the body's immune system
into destroying tumours.
Kelly Potter, 35, was diagnosed in July and told the cancer
was already at stage four.
She is now one of 30 patients in the immunotherapy trial
which will examine whether a vaccine is effective in encouraging the immune
system to destroy cancer cells.
The treatment - for people with solid tumours and those
who have failed on previous types of cancer treatment - is being tested at
Guy’s and St Thomas’ biomedical research centre in London.
Other centres at the Surrey Cancer Research Institute (SCRI)
at the University of Surrey and the Royal Surrey County Hospital are expected
to start patient recruitment later this year.
Immunotherapy is generating great interest in the cancer
research community. In February, experts in the US announced they had seen
'extraordinary' results in early trials involving terminally ill patients with
blood cancer. All patients with any solid tumour, irrespective of their
type of cancer, are believed to have the potential to benefit from
immunotherapy.
Miss Potter, from Beckenham, had her first injection on
February 9 and is scheduled for a further seven visits. Although I had excellent treatment at Guy's Hospital where
the cancer was stabilised, it had already spread to spots on my liver and
lungs,' she said. 'So when I was told that I may be eligible for this trial, I
was delighted.'The new Vaper trial involves a vaccine and an immunity
stimulating cream applied to the injection site to help the vaccine work
better.
Patients will also take low-dose chemotherapy tablets and
some people will also have celecoxib, which is a non-steroidal
anti-inflammatory.
Professor Hardev Pandha, who is leading the trial at the
Surrey Cancer Research Institute, said: 'We know that the immune system in
patients with advanced cancer is suppressed, so it's unable to recognise and
kill cancer calls.'In this trial we are investigating a form of immunotherapy
designed to activate the body's immune system by administration of a vaccine
based on fragments of a key cancer protein.' The vaccine is designed to treat terminal cancer by making
the body's immune system attack the cells Life sciences minister George Freeman said the trial was
'pushing new boundaries' and brought hope to cancer patients.
'The prospect of a vaccine to help the body's immune system
fight advanced cancer highlights the ground-breaking work being delivered by
our world-leading life sciences sector, supported through the Government's
continued investment in the National Institute for Health Research,' he said.
Miss Potter said she hoped the trial would result in a major
breakthrough for patients like herself.
'To be part of the trial has changed my life for the
better,' she said.
'It's been a very positive experience and really interesting.
I feel honoured to be involved.
'My hope for the future is to beat the cancer for as long as
I can and, if I can't, I have come to terms with that.
'I would like to go on and inspire others with cancer.' Professor Peter Johnson, Cancer Research UK's chief
clinician, said: 'Treatments such as the one being tested in this study may be
able to direct the immune system to mistakes in our cells which turn them into
cancer.
'For this target, we hope that the combination of vaccine
and immune boosting treatment will be more effective than the vaccine has been
previously on its own.
'For many patients in this trial, all their other options
will have been explored so it's vital we continue to explore different ways to
treat the disease.'
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