International clinical trial for the lung cancer therapeutic vaccine has begun in our country, with the first hospital involved being “salvation” but will open in another 3 centers.

The research has begun in the last four months, in succession in over 20 countries, including Greece and will include more than 600 patients, and said Professor of Pathology oncology at the Athens Medical School, Director of the 3rd Pathology Clinic of the Medical School, “Sotirios”.

“It is a study that is very interesting, not only because it utilizes mRNA technology, but also because it is a study where treatment is very personalized, each patient will receive a completely different treatment from another patient with the same disease. From our center so far they have been randomized, that is, candidates have been found to enter 14 inhumane and already have a positive response to enter, five. “

It is worth clarifying that this vaccine is therapeutic and not preventive, the word vaccine is simply used, because as Mr Syrigos says it is the same mechanism: “That is, it activates the immune system and the body’s lymphocytes to kill cancer cells. But it is not administered preventively so that no cancer will develop. The vaccine is done in a patient who already has cancer in order to kill cancer cells and cure it, not only in the short but also in the long run, since it will create immune memory to prevent cancer from returning. “

What are the criteria for integration into the study

What are the criteria for integration in the study, Professor Syrigos is asked: ‘It’s about patients with non -microcellular lung cancer. There should be quite a large histological piece (ie biopsy) so that we can work and process it. The patient to join the study must have not to have another intravenous treatment before. And also should not have brain metastases. Or if it has brain metastases, they should first be cured. In relation to the surgery at the moment the vaccine is evaluated in advanced stages, that is, in stages that already exist metastases, so in patients who have no indication for surgery. If a patient in the past has had a surgery, then a recurrence of his cancer has been presented and made metastases, yes this sick person can get into the study. “

1 in 4 survives from non -small cellular lung cancer

What roads this vaccine opens is the next question that is asked to the teacher.

“Apart from the great scientific interest it has, because of the new technology, which theoretically as we have studied, it could be applied to any form of cancer, the natural history of the disease changes completely if the study comes positive. That is, the disease of non -small cell lung cancer will be a disease that will no longer be fatal. This vaccine is used in studies in various tumors, including melanoma and glioblastoma (brain tumor). Studies have progressed in these tumors so far. ” According to Mr Syrigos, the therapeutic vaccine currently tested is essentially for personalized immunotherapy created by the patient’s malignant tissue and administered after special treatment. It is not administered once, but repetitive treatments per 20 days, the number of which depends on each case. At regular intervals, it is checked for its effectiveness. It is worth noting that in Greece each year is diagnosed about 7,500 new cases of non -small cell lung cancer, of which 40% at a metastatic stage, while only 25% live for over five years, that is, it is considered potentially.