SAN FRANCISCO, April 16 (UPI) -- A U.S. trial involving a brain tumor vaccine has shown promise in preliminary data.
The vaccine for treating glioma -- a recurrent and fatal cancer of the central nervous system that occurs primarily in the brain -- is being evaluated in a clinical trial at the University of California-San Francisco.
Findings from a group of 12 study patients showed vitespen vaccination (trademarked as Oncophage) was effective in stimulating the patients' immune systems to attack the tumor cells, a function that is known medically as tumor-specific immune response. All the patients had recurrent, high-grade glioma and all showed the immune response from the vaccine that is made from the patient's own tumor.
"In this trial, we have observed a correlation between immune response as a result of vitespen vaccination and potential clinical benefit," said lead investigator Dr. Andrew Parsa. "We are encouraged by the prolonged improvement in overall survival rates, although this (combined phase one and two) study is not designed to primarily evaluate efficacy."
The results of the clinical trial conducted by the University of California-San Francisco Brain Tumor Research Center were presented Monday in Washington during the 75th annual meeting of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
