American scientists say they have developed a vaccine which has prevented breast cancer from developing in mice. The Medical journal - Nature medicine had published the findings. The researchers say that now they will test the examination on humans. But they informed that it would take some years before the vaccination can be made available widely.
The vaccination targets a protein found in most of the breast tumours, say the immunologists who led the research. Vincent Tuohy, from the Cleveland Clinic Learner Research Institute, said: "We believe that this vaccine will someday be used to prevent breast cancer in adult women in the same way that vaccines have prevented many childhood diseases.
"If it works in humans the way it works in mice, this will be monumental. We could eliminate breast cancer." The study included vaccinating the genetically cancer prone mice with two types of medicines. Half were given vaccine which contained á-lactalbumin and half with a vaccine that did not contain the antigen. None of the mice treated with the former developed cancer, wherein all the mice vaccinated with the latter did.
Two cancer-prevention vaccinations have already been approved by the US, one again cervical cancer and the other against liver cancer.
In terms of developing preventive vaccine, cancer presents problem not caused by viruses. Viruses are identified as foreign invaders, cancer is not. Cancer is not formed by any kind of Virus. It is an over-development of body’s own cells. These vaccinations, however, target the viruses- the human papillomavirus (HPV) and the Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-not cancer formation itself.
Trying to vaccinate the over-development of the recipient’s own body would be effective by destroying the healthy tissues. Caitlin Palframan, of charity Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "This research could have important implications for how we might prevent breast cancer in the future.
"However, this is an early stage study, and we look forward to seeing the results of large-scale clinical trials to find out if this vaccine would be safe and effective in humans." She added, some steps like reducing alcohol consumption, maintaining a healthy weight and taking regular exercise are already there to reduce the risk of breast cancer in women.
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in the UK, affecting more than 45,500 women every year. Cancer Research UK's professor of oncology, Robert Hawkins, said: "This very early study describes an interesting approach to the prevention of breast cancer.
"It will be several years before this vaccine can be tested fully to assess its safety and effectiveness as a way to stop the disease developing in women."
