Innovative immunotherapy shows promise in early clinical trial for breast cancer

A groundbreaking Phase 1 clinical trial has explored a novel cell-based immunotherapy for breast cancer – a new treatment approach that aims to harness the body’s immune system to enhance patient responses and reduce the need for conventional chemotherapy and its associated toxicities.

The trial involved 12 patients with locally advanced stage I-III HER2 breast cancer. This research builds upon insights gained from previous studies funded by a Department of Defense Breakthrough Award research grant.

“We are hopeful that we will be able to use this new immunotherapy instead of chemotherapy, or at least dramatically reduce the need for chemotherapy, for all types of breast cancer,” said Brian Czerniecki, chair and senior member in the Moffitt Cancer Center’s Department of Breast Oncology.

The immunotherapy leverages dendritic cells, critical components of the immune system that normally identify infection and mobilise other elements of immunity to repel a microbial attack.

By removing some of these dendritic cells from the body, biochemically reprogramming them for anti-cancer activity and injecting them directly into breast tumours, the researchers could trigger a powerful, organized immune system attack on the cancer.

This led to the significant shrinkage of tumours before standard chemotherapy was administered.

Eight out of the 12 patients demonstrated at least a 50 per cent reduction in tumour volume after just six weeks of immunotherapy. This treatment produced only minimal side effects, primarily mild flu-like symptoms, compared with the severe side effects often associated with traditional chemotherapy.

“These exciting results are the culmination of nearly 30 years of collaborative research between my laboratory and Dr. Czerniecki’s,” Koski said.

The researchers have already begun a larger Phase 2 trial to test higher doses of the immunotherapy, further exploring the potential effectiveness of this new technology.