| At the prostate cancer symposium in Orlando, | | | | placebo treatment, the overall of survival was 21.4 |
| co-sponsored by the American Society of Clinical | | | | months. |
| Oncology, Eric J. Small, MD, UCSF professor of | | | | The conclusions were that 115 patients of this group |
| medicine and urology presented the findings of the | | | | had progressive disease at the time of data analysis |
| study he led helped by other 19 US institutions, | | | | and all patients were followed for survival for 3 |
| regarding an effective treatment for prostate cancer. | | | | years. |
| Scientists said that the rate of survival increased by | | | | Scientists do not know if the vaccine will work on |
| four and a half months in those who were | | | | patients suffering of early-stage prostate cancer and |
| administered the cancer vaccine compared with | | | | of explosive terminal cancer. The vaccine, called |
| those who got the placebo. | | | | Provenge, does not cure cancer but at least it slows |
| For the patients this is great news because it gives | | | | it down. |
| them hope that an even better vaccine could be | | | | Other cancer vaccines are being developed for |
| discovered. This vaccine is not like the others that | | | | treating: leukemia, breast cancer, colon cancer, and |
| are designed to prevent a disease. This is made to | | | | kidney and pancreas cancer as well. |
| treat advanced prostate cancer by increasing the | | | | The human body is not able to recognize the cancer |
| immune system's response to cancer cells. | | | | cells and that is why it can not fight them without |
| The vaccine was well tolerated by patients and the | | | | help. The vaccine is designed to alert the body is |
| side effects were mild: fever and chills. This is good | | | | cancerous cells are present. Provenge has been made |
| news because chemotherapy and radiation gives a lot | | | | out of a genetically engineered protein and a dendritic |
| of unbearable side effects. | | | | cell provided from the patient's bloodstream. After |
| Small included in the study 127 patients suffering of | | | | getting the vaccine shots, the immune system will |
| asymptomatic metastatic hormone refractory | | | | react and will activate immune T-cells to find and |
| prostate cancer (HRPC). 82 of them received the | | | | destroy the cancer cells. |
| vaccine and 45 got placebo. They were administered | | | | This discovery is important not only for those who |
| three shots over six weeks. The treatment | | | | suffer of the disease but also for the field. This |
| continued three years. | | | | vaccine confirms what everybody denied, that |
| For those treated with the vaccine, the median rate | | | | vaccines can really work. |
| of survival was 25.9 months. For those who got a | | | | |