A clinical trial of a vaccine to prevent breast cancer is showing early promise, prompting Cleveland Clinic researchers to move ahead with a second stage of testing.
Most participants tolerated the vaccine well, and the majority showed a strong immune reaction, a key early sign that the vaccine is working as intended. However, researchers caution Phase 1 trials are not designed to show whether the vaccine can actually treat or prevent breast cancer.
Thirty-five women, mostly from Northeast Ohio, took part in the first clinical trial. Participants reported only mild side effects such as redness or soreness at the injection site. Nearly three-quarters of participants had a strong immune response, meaning their bodies reacted to the vaccine as expected, said Dr. Thomas Budd, a Cleveland Clinic oncologist…