Modern Health Observation

In the event that the vaccine successfully respond to the tests being carried out, would prove that it can function as a therapeutic immunization, delaying the progress of the condition.

Each year in the country are nearly 10,000 cases of lung cancer, the most common worldwide. Indeed, if the evidence in progress and will soon start a laboratory in Brazil show good results, physicians may have a new weapon against this disease, one of the most aggressive tumors and lower survival after diagnosis, because it is usually detected when and metastases.

Although up to now has results in few patients, it is expected that these studies in Brazil, plus others in Argentina, Uruguay, Cuba, India, Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea to 1082 included patients, a statistically significant number.

It is a therapeutic vaccine (ie, it does not prevent, but to slow the progression of the disease), the fruit of multidisciplinary researchers from the universities of Buenos Aires and Quilmes, Roffo Institute and Hospital Garrahan, the Academy of Medicine and Elea company in Argentina, which has so far shown encouraging prospects.

“Brazil will soon begin a Phase III clinical trial [the last stage before approval by the health authorities],” says Dr. Hugo Sigman, owner of Elea. Eurofarma The laboratory, which holds the license of racotumomab ( Immunization scientific name), has already agreed to the study in ten hospitals in various regions and, in principle, involve 250 patients. ”

“This is a vaccine that has already been tested in breast cancer and aims to raise immunity against gangliosides [specific molecular target cell lung cancer] Graciela CINAT-account, an oncologist at the Institute of Oncology floor Angel Roffo. Particularly one that expressed more tumor cells and used for the invasion [of tissue]. ”

Immune Privilege

It is known that all cancer is a body’s response, but insufficient: the tumor has strategies to become “invisible” to the immune system, making it in a place “privileged.” The idea is to stimulate both the cellular response [mediated by blood cells, T cells] and humoral [antibody].

“According to our calculations, this immunization could add about five months of survival,” says Dr. CINAT. Not so much because of its impact in reducing the tumor, such as chemotherapy, but for its stabilization, because it slows the progression of the disease. Taking note that medications have been approved with a difference of two months of survival and that, unlike chemotherapy, it is a well tolerated medication, it is an achievement. It is quite an achievement. ”

Experts agree that advances in cancer in the near future, probably not come from a single drug, but combining several treatments.

“This will occur when the combined use accumulated knowledge of products, such as chemotherapy and vaccines,” says Sigman.

But beyond the therapeutic effectiveness, the experience is already a success as a public-private venture. “This vaccine was started with an idea of the Cubans, but Argentina made a contribution very, very important,” says Sigman. What’s more teams participating universities and hospitals are already receiving their pay in equipment, facilities, PhD, tesistas and funds were distributed. many years ago [more than a decade] we’re together and there was never any conflict. not even show the dichotomy between basic and applied science: since all this started, we published 27 scientific papers in journals high impact. For these things work just need honesty, be clear input and generosity of all parties. That is putting together a network of friendship, brotherhood, of working together. “