Journal of Vaccine Research 2024, Vol.14, No.5, 255-268 http://medscipublisher.com/index.php/jvr 255 Feature Review Open Access Long-Term Immunological Effects of Cancer Vaccines in Breast Cancer Patients Jianmin Liu Sinovac Biotech Co., Ltd., Haiding, 100193, Beijing, China Corresponding email: Jianminliu@sinovac.com Journal of Vaccine Research, 2024, Vol.14, No.5 doi: 10.5376/jvr.2024.14.0024 Received: 15 Aug., 2024 Accepted: 21 Sep., 2024 Published: 11 Oct., 2024 Copyright © 2024 Liu, This is an open access article published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Preferred citation for this article: Liu J.M., 2024, Long-term immunological effects of cancer vaccines in breast cancer patients, Journal of Vaccine Research, 14(5): 255-268 (doi: 10.5376/jvr.2024.14.0024) Abstract This study discusses the future directions of cancer vaccines for breast cancer, with a focus on personalized and multi-antigen vaccines, combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, and vaccine development for metastatic breast cancer. Personalized neoantigen vaccines leverage tumor-specific mutations to elicit a targeted immune response, while multi-antigen vaccines enhance immune efficacy by targeting multiple tumor antigens. Combining vaccines with checkpoint inhibitors can turn “cold” tumors into “hot” ones, thereby enhancing antitumor immunity. Dendritic cell vaccines and nanoparticle-based vaccines show promise for metastatic breast cancer. Future research should focus on optimizing vaccine formulations, modulating the tumor microenvironment, and developing personalized treatment strategies to improve the efficacy and long-term durability of cancer vaccines in breast cancer patients. Keywords Breast cancer; Cancer vaccine; Personalized vaccine; Immune checkpoint inhibitors; Metastatic breast cancer 1 Introduction Cancer vaccines represent a promising approach in the treatment of breast cancer, aiming to harness the body's immune system to target and eliminate cancer cells. Unlike traditional therapies, cancer vaccines are designed to induce a specific immune response against tumor-associated antigens. Recent advances have focused on various types of vaccines, including peptide-based, cell-based, and nucleic acid-based vaccines, which have shown potential in preclinical and early clinical trials. For instance, peptide-based vaccines targeting HER2, IGFBP-2, and IGF-IR have demonstrated safety and the ability to evoke cellular immune responses in patients with non-metastatic breast cancer. Despite these advancements, no breast cancer vaccine has yet received regulatory approval, highlighting the need for further research and larger clinical trials to establish their efficacy and safety (Schlom et al., 2014; Hosseini et al., 2023). The long-term immunological effects of cancer vaccines are crucial for providing sustained protection against breast cancer recurrence. Effective cancer vaccines should not only induce an immediate immune response but also establish long-lasting immunological memory to prevent disease relapse (Zhou, 2024). Studies have shown that vaccines can generate durable immune responses, with some patients maintaining high levels of antigen-specific immunity for several months post-vaccination. For example, the E75 vaccine targeting HER2/neu has demonstrated a significant reduction in recurrence rates in patients who received booster inoculations, suggesting that maintaining immunity over time is essential for long-term clinical benefits (Perez et al., 2014). Additionally, the persistence of humoral immunity, as observed in patients receiving personalized peptide vaccinations, underscores the potential of vaccines to provide long-term protection. This study explores the long-term immunological effects of cancer vaccines in breast cancer patients, focusing on their ability to provide continuous protection and prevent disease recurrence. By understanding the mechanisms underlying long-term immunity and identifying factors that contribute to durable immune responses, this study aims to inform the development of more effective cancer vaccines. This study is expected to improve clinical outcomes in breast cancer patients by reducing recurrence rates and improving overall survival. Given the promising results from early-phase clinical trials, this research could pave the way for the development of novel immunotherapeutic strategies that offer long-lasting protection against breast cancer.
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