Vaccines, et al

[Guest guest]

Be sure to read the last article.............

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You may be interested to know about this world wide conference coming up in

Paris on June, 2011.......................................

PARIS – June 22/23, 2011 – Doctors 2.0™ & You, conference will examine how

doctors use social media and Web 2.0 tools to connect with patients, colleagues,

pharma, payers and hospitals, Organized by e-health specialist Basil Strategies,

a gathering of experts from across the world to examine physicians’ professional

use of new and social media and its practical, societal and business impact on

healthcare delivery.

This is a physicians’ perspective on use of New Technologies and collaborate

with colleagues, patients, payers, government, industry.

http://en.basilstrategies.com/presentations/doctors-2-0-europe-paris/

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Doctors Without Borders

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73zMcdGfXGE & NR=1

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ASCO - High Quality Cancer Care

February 15, 2011 marks the official launch of the Conquer Cancer Foundation of

the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO), the premier philanthropic

organization working to ensure all people have access to high-quality cancer

care. Formerly known as The ASCO Cancer Foundation, the Conquer Cancer

Foundation is dedicated to creating a world free from the fear of cancer.

Working in close collaboration with a global network of top scientists and

clinical researchers, as well as leading advocacy and research organizations,

the Foundation draws on the passion and expertise of the nearly 30,000 oncology

professionals who are members of ASCO, the Foundation's affiliate organization.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/216483.php

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Preliminary investigations by US researchers suggest that a vaccine made with

leukemia cells appears able to reduce or wipe out the last few cancer cells that

are left behind in some patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) who are

taking the drug Gleevec (Imatinib mesylate). However, the researchers said the

results are tentative and there could be other reasons for this apparent

success.

These remaining cells can cause the cancer to return, said the researchers, and

especially when they come off the Gleevec.

Levitsky said that the ability to get patients off Gleevec would be a great

advance, and if this vaccine is successful, that goal would be reached.

For the study, Levitsky and colleagues used a vaccine made from CML cells.

The vaccine is made by first irradiating the CML cells to stop them being

cancerous, then altering their genetic make up so they produce an immune system

stimulator known as GM-CSF (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor, a

substance that helps make more white blood cells of particular types).

" We want to get rid of every last cancer cell in the body, and using cancer

vaccines may be a good way to mop up residual disease. " Levitsky and colleagues

are now testing the patients' blood to identify exactly which antigens are

stimulating the immune system so they can tailor the vaccine for further

investigations that examine the immune response in more detail.

They said during this pilot study the patients showed few side effects from the

trial vaccine, these included pain at the injection site, swelling, occasional

muscle ache and mild fever.

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/175397.php

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Clin. Cancer Res. Author manuscript; available in PMC 2011 January 1.

K562/GM-CSF vaccine study................

Experimental Design

Patients with chronic phase CML who achieved at least a major cytogeneic

response but remained with persistent, measurable disease despite one or more

years on IM were eligible. Each was given a series of four vaccines administered

in three week intervals, with or without topical imiquimod, while remaining on a

stable dose of IM. CML disease burden was measured serially before and after

vaccination.

Conclusions

K562/GM-CSF vaccine appears to improve molecular responses in patients on IM,

including achieving complete molecular remissions, despite long durations of

previous IM therapy.

This pilot study was developed to determine whether K562/GM-CSF immunotherapy

could improve the molecular responses in patients with chronic phase CML on IM.

Secondary objectives included assessing the safety and tolerability of the

K562/GM-CSF vaccine in CML and characterizing its impact on the T-cells and

antibodies specific for CML associated antigens.

More.............

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2804932/

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FYI,

Lottie Duthu