"The personalized vaccine demonstrates its clinical efficacy in treating follicular lymphoma," says Dr. Maurizio Bendandi, scientist at research center Applied Medicine (CIMA) and the Clínica Universidad de Navarraon the occasion of World Lymphoma Day. This is one of the conclusions of the article recently published in the latest issue of the journal Nature Reviews Cancerwhich reviews the latest advances in this field. Dr. Bendandi is currently a fellow at the Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Centerat the University of Texas (USA).

After two decades of preclinical research , the first results have been obtained in patients with follicular lymphoma who relapse after chemotherapy. According to researcher of CIMA, "this procedure has demonstrated its biological and clinical efficacy, as it provides an immune response that is associated with antitumor activity. It also has a clinical benefit, as it increases disease-free survival". However, some clinical trials have failed to confirm these results on a large scale, so more comprehensive programs of study needs to be launched. "It would be necessary to identify which patients are the greatest beneficiaries of this vaccine, based on certain preclinical characteristics, such as their immune status. The design of future clinical trials will be crucial to ensure the clinical benefit of the vaccine in patients with follicular lymphoma who have relapsed." 

5,000 new cases per year in Spain and 50% relapse rate

Follicular lymphoma is a tumor of the lymphatic system that affects annually in Spain more than 5,000 people over 40 years old. Some 50% relapse after having received chemotherapy. The malignant cells present a surface protein, called immunoglobulin, which can be used as a therapeutic vaccine. "This protein represents a useful tumor-specific antigen for most non-Hodgkin's lymphomas, such as follicular lymphoma. Because of the limited availability of other tumor-specific antigens, human cancer vaccines indicated against immune system tumors have been developed more rapidly," explains Dr. Bendandi.

link to article published in Nature Reviews Cancer