A vaccine against kidney cancer that prevents its reproduction

A clinical trial with a personalised oncological vaccine has meant that nine patients with advanced kidney cancer and high risk of recurrence have not suffered from relapses almost three years after the treatment. The research, led by the Dana-Farber Oncological Institute (USA) and published in Nature, has shown that the vaccine generates long-lasting immune responses, remaining active for an average of 34.7 months after administration. The results consolidate the potential of this strategy to prevent the reappearance of the cancer after surgery.

The vaccine uses neoantigens, specific mutant proteins of the tumour cells, to train the immune system and only attack the cancer cells. After the removal of the tumour, the researchers personalise each vaccine, analysing the patient’s tumour tissue and using predictive algorithms to select the neoantigens with greater probability of inducing an immune response. In just three weeks, the vaccine multiples by 166 the number of specific T cells fighting against the tumour, achieving a sustained protection.  

This therapy, previously successfully tested with melanoma, has also been shown to be effective on kidney cancer, in spite of the fact that these tumours show fewer mutations. All the participants in the study suffered from clear cell renal cell carcinoma in stage III or IV, and the vaccine achieved a powerful immune response that could mark a key advance in the fight against this type of cancer. These findings, therefore, open the door to new immune therapy strategies adapted to each patient.