Researchers at Moffitt Cancer Center have developed a promising vaccine strategy targeting HER2-positive, estrogen receptor-negative (ER-negative) breast cancer. In a pilot study involving 30 patients with stage 2 and stage 3 HER2-positive, ER-negative breast cancer, the team combined HER2-targeting dendritic cell vaccines with standard chemotherapy administered before surgery. The results, published in npj Breast Cancer, demonstrated both safety and positive response rates, with significant immune activity observed in patients receiving the vaccine.
Notably, injecting the vaccine directly into the tumor led to increased immune cell activity within the tumor environment, suggesting a potential enhancement of chemotherapy effectiveness. Lead author Dr. Hatem Soliman, a medical oncologist in the Breast Oncology Department at Moffitt, stated that this approach could offer a new way to improve breast cancer treatment and patient outcomes. Click for More Details
