Receive a complimentary email called “Morning Headlines” with updates from our journalists around the globe.
Join our Morning Headlines email for free.
Health professionals are praising a potentially revolutionary vaccine that will be tested in England and Australia to treat early-stage bowel cancer.
The Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust and Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Adelaide will be conducting a trial of the treatment.
Physicians intend to give the vaccine to individuals prior to their surgical procedure, with the expectation that it will stimulate the body’s immune response against the cancer.
Medical professionals are optimistic that utilizing this vaccine could potentially decrease the invasiveness of surgeries and boost the body’s immune response in the event of a cancer relapse.
Dr. Tony Dhillon, the lead researcher for the study and a consultant medical oncologist at Surrey, initiated the concept and collaborated with Professor Tim Price in Australia over the past four years to create the vaccine.
He stated that this treatment vaccine is the first of its kind for any gastrointestinal cancer and has great potential for success. It is believed that many patients will experience complete remission after receiving this treatment.
The experiment will be conducted by the Cancer Research UK Southampton Clinical Trials Unit at the University of Southampton in partnership with Surrey and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
10 locations will be available for patients to participate in the study – six in Australia and four in the UK. The study will enroll a total of 44 patients over a period of 18 months.
Dr Tony Dhillon
After undergoing an endoscopy, patients will have a tissue sample taken for testing to determine their eligibility for the trial. If deemed eligible, they will receive three doses of the vaccine prior to undergoing cancer-removing surgery.
The study will only be open to 44 participants globally. Once the study is completed, the vaccine will either be approved for use or, if proven effective, a larger study will be conducted.
The vaccine was created by Imugene Ltd, a company focused on immuno-oncology in the clinical stage.
Dr. Dhillon stated that this is a significant breakthrough and that they are on the brink of something momentous. The vaccine triggers the immune system to target the cancer.
This could have a profound impact on people’s lives as it opens up the possibility of avoiding surgery and instead receiving a vaccine as treatment.
I am extremely proud of the work we have accomplished at Royal Surrey. Participating in this global trial has been a tremendous opportunity and we believe it has the potential to significantly impact the treatment of bowel cancer in the future.
“I am extremely proud of Surrey’s involvement in the launch of this revolutionary new vaccine,” expressed Louise Stead, the chief executive of Surrey.
”
As the UK’s fourth largest cancer center, combatting cancer is a significant aspect of our work. This will offer a chance for bowel cancer patients to have genuine hope in overcoming the illness.
I would like to express my congratulations to Dr. Tony Dhillon and all those involved in this trial for their dedication and effort.
Bowel cancer, also known as colorectal cancer, is the third most common cancer, with a worldwide annual incidence of over 1.2 million cases and a mortality rate of approximately 50 per cent.
Source: independent.co.uk
