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Poxvirus vaccine proven effective in treating breast and ovarian cancer
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Recombinant poxvirus vaccine has proven effective in the treatment of metastatic breast and ovarian cancer.
American scientists led by James Galli from the Laboratory of Immunology and Tumor Biology (National Cancer Institute) conducted a study of the vaccine's effectiveness, in which 26 patients took part. Every month they were vaccinated with the PANVAC vaccine, which contained transgenes of MUC-1, CEA and 3 T-cell co-stimulating molecules
Before the study, all patients had undergone treatment, 21 patients had undergone three courses of chemotherapy. In 12 women with breast cancer, the time to progression was 2.5 months, and the overall survival was about 14 months. In 4 women, the disease was in remission. In 14 women with ovarian cancer, the average time to disease progression was about 2 months, and the overall survival was 15 months.
Following immunization courses with the vaccine, the most common side effect was a reaction at the injection site.
The authors intend to conduct a larger study that would be able to adequately assess the effectiveness of such cancer treatments.
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