Barbara Brigham felt that time was running out when she received a diagnosis of early-stage pancreatic cancer in 2020. She missed spending more time with her kids and grandkids after losing her husband.
However, her destiny was altered by a groundbreaking clinical trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Under the direction of Dr. Vinod Balachandran, the experiment unveiled a novel strategy: combining chemotherapy and surgery with a customized mRNA vaccine that teaches the immune system to identify and combat cancer cells.
With the help of BioNTech, the vaccine was customized for each patient’s tumor, eliciting a specific immune response.
Brigham was one of sixteen people that took part. Eight of them demonstrated robust immunological responses to the vaccination.
Surprisingly, over three years later, almost all of these responders were still cancer-free. On the other hand, the cancer returned in seven out of the eight non-responders.
According to Dr. Balachandran, “the vaccine is showing potential in creating long-lasting immune responses.” “This is a positive step.”
Four years after receiving her diagnosis, Brigham describes the experience as “life-changing.” Since then, she has celebrated her brother’s 60th wedding anniversary and welcomed a new grandchild—events she had believed she would miss.
Experts think this could be a game-changing moment in cancer treatment, but larger trials are still required. The research is more than just science to patients like Brigham; it’s a second chance at life.
