Kristen Dahlgren on the Cancer Vaccine That’s Changing Lives
Kristen Dahlgren was reporting for NBC News when a stage II breast cancer diagnosis turned her world upside down. What she discovered next shocked her: therapeutic cancer vaccines—a powerful, little-known treatment helping many late-stage patients live years longer than expected—were already in clinical trials.
She was particularly astounded by an early phase metastatic breast cancer clinical trial with absolutely incredible results—85% of the patients lived 10+ years. In fact, one of the participants has been living cancer-free for over 22 years.
In this episode of Outperform Cancer, Kristen reveals why she left journalism to found the Cancer Vaccine Coalition, how these vaccines work, and what every cancer patient and survivor should be asking their doctors right now.
You’ll learn:
The difference between therapeutic and preventative cancer vaccines
Why vaccines could soon outperform chemo with fewer side effects
Clinical trial results that defy expectations
How close we really are to FDA approval
How you can support or join this movement to accelerate a cancer cure
💡 If you or someone you love has faced cancer, this conversation will give you hope—and a roadmap to action.
🔗 Learn more at: https://cancervaccinecoalition.org
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0:00 - Intro—the Power of Cancer Vaccines
2:40 - Kristen’s cancer story
10:18 - Early success—training our immune systems to fight cancer
13:54 - Cancer Vaccine Coalition cuts through bureaucracy
16:13 - Therapeutic vaccines versus prevention vaccines; an immunotherapy treatment for advanced cancer patients
26:45 - Clinical trials are available and more are coming
33:53 - Safety and quality of life is excellent
39:12 - How you can help Cancer Vaccine Coalition
47:16 - Wrap up -
📰 Recent Articles About the Cancer Vaccine Coalition
Game-Changing Collaboration Will Accelerate Cancer Vaccines
The V Foundation and the Cancer Vaccine Coalition join forces to fund life-saving breast cancer vaccine research.
Read more →Multi-million Dollar Donation Propels Breast Cancer Vaccines Forward
A $2 million matching gift from the Brian and Sheila Jellison Family Foundation aims to fast-track vaccine development.
Read more →Kristen Dahlgren's Journey to Cancer Vaccine Advocate
How a former NBC News correspondent turned a personal diagnosis into a national movement.
Read more →How the Cancer Vaccine Coalition Pushes Life-Saving Science Forward
An inside look at how CVC is accelerating breast cancer vaccine research across top institutions.
Read more →From Research to Reality: Understanding Breast Cancer Vaccines
Dr. Powel Brown explains the science behind cancer vaccines and the role of advocacy coalitions.
Read more →
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.