Cancer ‘vaccine’ eliminates tumors in mice

[JoMac53]

Hi. I have a question about this... this isn't something that could be done with MDS, right? It sounds to me like it has to be something with a solid tumor? Or am I mis-understanding it?

Cancer ‘vaccine’ eliminates tumors in mice

Activating T cells in tumors eliminated even distant metastases in mice, Stanford researchers found. Lymphoma patients are being recruited to test the technique in a clinical trial.

https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2018/01/cancer-vaccine-eliminates-tumors-in-mice.html

[Neil Cuadra]

I'd draw the same conclusion you have, that activating T cells isn't going to help with MDS. Giving a boost to the immune system is the opposite of immunosuppression.

[DanL]

I would say that this is a little more complicated than yes or no, as MDS is so diverse of a disease. There are some forms that benefit from immune suppression, usually of the trisomy 8 variety, and hypo-mds.

Since there are a couple of components to MDS 1) production of faulty cells and 2) inability of your system to recognize and destroy malfunctioning cells, it is possible that activating T cells could help improve part of the condition.

My thought would be that this would need a combination approach though, as I believe that having the over-active t cell response may cause or increase marrow fibrosis, at least initially.

You would need something that could help the marrow reform - kind of like vidaza does in some cases.

Just my 2 cents - I am not a research biologist or doctor, so it is kind of a Monday morning quarterback approach.

Love the question and research though.