Are Cancer Vaccines the Breakthrough We’ve Been Waiting For? Dr. Nora Disis Explains
Dr. Nora Disis, one of the world’s leading cancer vaccine researchers and Editor-in-Chief of JAMA Oncology, explores why cancer vaccines are poised to transform cancer treatment—and survival rates.
Dr. Disis explains how therapeutic cancer vaccines work to retrain the immune system, who is eligible for current vaccine trials, and why clinical trials are actively recruiting patients with cancers like breast, ovarian, lung, melanoma, and more. They dive deep into how vaccines are personalized using tumor sequencing, how new technologies like artificial intelligence are helping vaccines target cancer cells more effectively, and how the gut microbiome might supercharge immunotherapy outcomes.
Most importantly, Dr. Disis provides actionable advice for patients: why the best time to pursue a cancer vaccine trial is after initial treatment, and how to find trials that could be life-changing.
👉 Listen now and explore the resources mentioned, including how to find cancer vaccine clinical trials at ClinicalTrials.gov and how to support cancer vaccines through the Cancer Vaccine Coalition.
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0:00 - Why Cancer Vaccines Matter Now
2:00 - How Cancer Vaccines Train the Immune System
5:00 - Therapeutic vs Preventative Cancer Vaccines
10:00 - Personalized Vaccines: Tumor Sequencing & AI
18:00 - How Gut Health Affects Vaccine Success
25:00 - Challenges to Funding Cancer Vaccine Research
35:00 - Combining Vaccines with Chemotherapy
45:00 - How to Find a Cancer Vaccine Clinical Trial
55:00 - How Long Cancer Vaccine Immunity Lasts
1:00:00 - Final Advice for Cancer Patients -
Breast Cancer
HER2 Vaccine-Primed Autologous T-Cell Infusions
Study: Disis ML et al., Clinical Cancer Research, 2023
Summary: Phase I/II trial evaluating HER2 vaccine-primed autologous T-cell infusions in patients with treatment-refractory HER2-overexpressing breast cancer.
Key Findings: The study demonstrated that the combination therapy was safe and elicited robust immune responses, suggesting potential clinical benefit.
Link: PubMed
HER2 DNA Vaccine Long-Term Survival
Summary: Phase I trial of a HER2-targeted DNA vaccine showed that approximately 85% of participants were alive 10+ years post-vaccination.
Kidney Cancer
Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine
Summary: In a study involving patients with stage III and IV clear cell renal cell carcinoma, a personalized neoantigen vaccine led to 100% of participants remaining cancer-free after a median follow-up of nearly 3 years.
Link: Dana-Farber News Release
Ovarian Cancer
FSHR DNA Vaccine
Study: Odunsi K et al., Clinical Cancer Research, 2021
Summary: Phase I trial of a DNA vaccine targeting the follicle-stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) in ovarian cancer patients.
Key Findings: Approximately 50% of patients survived 8+ years post-vaccination, indicating durable immune responses.
Link: Clinical Cancer Research
Melanoma
mRNA-4157/V940 Vaccine with Pembrolizumab
Summary: Phase IIb trial combining Moderna's personalized mRNA vaccine (mRNA-4157/V940) with pembrolizumab showed a 49% reduction in recurrence or death compared to pembrolizumab alone.
Link: Lancet
SCIB1 DNA Vaccine with Checkpoint Inhibitors
Summary: In a study involving 23 patients with stage IV melanoma, the combination of SCIB1 DNA vaccine with nivolumab and ipilimumab resulted in an 85% objective response rate.
Colon Cancer
GRANITE Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine
Summary: Early data from the phase II portion of a phase II/III study indicated positive progression-free survival and long-term circulating tumor DNA responses in metastatic microsatellite-stable colorectal cancer patients.
Link: Targeted Oncology
Lung Cancer
CIMAvax-EGF Vaccine
Summary: CIMAvax-EGF, a therapeutic vaccine targeting epidermal growth factor, has been administered to over 5,000 lung cancer patients, showing prolonged tumor stabilization and improved overall survival.
Link: Frontiers in Immunology
Personalized mRNA Vaccine Post-Surgery
Summary: Clinical trials are underway testing personalized mRNA vaccines designed from tumor samples to prevent recurrence of non-small cell lung cancer after surgery.
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For a complete list of clinical trials visit www.clinicaltrials.gov .
🧬 Melanoma
Trial: Phase 3 Study of mRNA-4157 (V940) in Combination with Pembrolizumab
Description: Evaluating the efficacy of a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine (mRNA-4157/V940) combined with pembrolizumab in patients with resected high-risk melanoma.
Status: Recruiting
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT03897881
🧬 Neuroendocrine Tumors
Trial: NCT03879694
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Advanced Neuroendocrine Tumors
Summary: This trial investigates the safety and feasibility of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with advanced neuroendocrine tumors.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT03879694
🧬 HER2+ and Triple-Negative Breast Cancer with Leptomeningeal Disease
Trial: NCT05809752
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with HER2+ or Triple-Negative Breast Cancer and Leptomeningeal Disease
Summary: This trial assesses the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with HER2+ or triple-negative breast cancer and leptomeningeal disease.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT05809752
🧬 Triple-Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC)
Trial: NCT06435351
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Triple-Negative Breast Cancer
Summary: This study assesses the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with triple-negative breast cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT06435351
🧬 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC) and Head and Neck
Trial: Phase 2 Study of CIMAvax-EGF Vaccine in Combination with Nivolumab
Description: Assessing the safety and efficacy of the CIMAvax-EGF vaccine combined with nivolumab in patients with advanced NSCLC and Head and Neck
Status: Suspended - this may start back up. Contact the organization to learn more
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT02955290
🧬 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)
Trial: NCT01720836
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Combination with Nivolumab
Summary: This trial evaluates the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine combined with nivolumab in patients with advanced NSCLC.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT01720836
🧬 Lung Cancer
Trial: NCT04298606
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Lung Cancer
Summary: This study investigates the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with lung cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT04298606
🧬 Pancreatic or Colorectal Cancer
Trial: NCT02600949
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Pancreatic or Colorectal Cancer
Summary: This study evaluates the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with pancreatic or colorectal cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT02600949Trial: NCT04117087
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Combination with Nivolumab
Summary: This study evaluates the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine combined with nivolumab in patients with resected pancreatic or colorectal cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT04117087
🧬 Colorectal Cancer
Trial: NCT06149481
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
Summary: This trial investigates the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with colorectal cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT06149481
🧬 Kidney Cancer
Trial: NCT05127824
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Kidney Cancer
Summary: This study assesses the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with kidney cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT05127824
🧬 Bladder Cancer
Trial: NCT05843448
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Bladder Cancer
Summary: This trial evaluates the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with bladder cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT05843448
🧬 Prostate Cancer
Trial: NCT06636682
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Prostate Cancer
Summary: This study investigates the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with prostate cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT06636682Trial: NCT04989946
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Prostate Cancer
Summary: This trial assesses the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with prostate cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT04989946Trial: NCT06100705
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Prostate Cancer
Summary: This study evaluates the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with prostate cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT06100705
🧬 Liver Cancer
Trial: NCT03942328
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Liver Cancer
Summary: This trial investigates the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with liver cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT03942328Trial: NCT04248569
Title: Phase I Study of a Personalized Neoantigen Vaccine in Patients with Liver Cancer
Summary: This study assesses the safety and immunogenicity of a personalized neoantigen vaccine in patients with liver cancer.
Status: Recruiting
Link: NCT04248569
These trials represent cutting-edge research in cancer immunotherapy. Participation in such studies can provide access to novel treatments and contribute to the advancement of cancer care. For more information or to determine eligibility, please consult the individual trial links or discuss with a healthcare professional.
The Outperform Cancer podcast provides health information and should not be viewed as medical, nursing, or other professional healthcare advice. Listening to or engaging with the content does not create a doctor/patient relationship. Some guests are research scientists and biochemists and not medical doctors. Any reliance on the information from this podcast or linked materials is solely at your own discretion. This podcast's content is not meant to replace professional medical guidance, diagnosis, or care. If you have a medical issue or question, consult with a healthcare professional without delay.