Press Release No. 4
Berlin
Tumour Vaccines - still a long Way to go
For the last 100 years it has been believed that the immune system plays a crucial role in the fight against cancer. Although scientists have gained fascinating new insights into how the immune system works, it is still not clearly understood how effectively this highly complex defense system of the body fights off cancer. Scientists have detected a number of different proteins and their respective genes which are able to activate immune cells against tumour cells. Among them are proteins called cytokines. They act as messengers among cells of the immune system and help to coordinate their actions. Moreover, some of these molecules even possess the capability to inhibit tumour growth. Therefore, scientists and clinicians have attempted to utilize the potential of cytokines to boost the immune system and thus increase its efficacy against tumours. Their goal is to develop tumour vaccines. "Animal experiments, as well as a number of clinical trials with cancer patients, have shown some encouraging results," stated Prof. Guido Forni from the University of Turin (Italy). "However, there is still a long way to go," he pointed out at the 4th Symposium on Gene Therapy (April 19, 1996) at the Max Delbrück Center for Molecular Medicine (MDC) in Berlin-Buch. He is convinced that "more basic research is needed and, in the future, tumour vaccines should be used in patients with less advanced disease".
