title: A prophylactic vaccine for breast cancer?
abstract: Cancer vaccines are the Holy Grail for patients and clinicians alike. The possibility that we can be vaccinated against common cancers is very appealing and the socioeconomic consequences are significant. A recent paper from Vincent Tuohy's group, published in the journal Nature Medicine, suggests a new approach for the development of a prophylactic vaccine for breast cancer. Their strategy was to induce mammary gland failure in mice by immunisation with an antibody specific to a milk protein that resulted in autoimmunity during lactation. This also showed some efficacy as a therapeutic vaccine. Can we look forward to the elimination of breast cancer?
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, Tennis Court Road, Cambridge CB2 1QP, UK. cjw53@mole.bio.cam.ac.uk
authors.forename: Christine J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Watson
authors.forename: Barry A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Gusterson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007114:Immunization; D007768:Lactalbumin / Q000276:immunology*; D008325:Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D051379:Mice; D008807:Mice, Inbred BALB C
chemical_list: D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D007768:Lactalbumin