A new immunotherapy approach has achieved complete remission in 30 percent of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer, representing a breakthrough for one of the deadliest cancer types.
"Pancreatic cancer has been particularly resistant to immunotherapy approaches that have worked in other cancer types," said lead researcher Dr. Steven Rosenberg. "These results demonstrate that with the right targeting strategy, we can harness the immune system to attack even this challenging disease."
The engineered T cells are modified to recognize a protein called MUC16, which is expressed on the surface of pancreatic cancer cells but not on healthy cells. Patients receive a single infusion of the modified cells after a brief course of chemotherapy.
Among the 45 patients who received the treatment, 14 achieved complete remission, with no detectable cancer following imaging and biopsy. Another 18 showed partial responses, with tumors shrinking by at least 30 percent.
"We are cautiously optimistic about these results, which represent a proof of concept for pancreatic cancer immunotherapy," said Dr. Manuel Hidalgo of Weill Cornell Medicine. "While the response rate needs improvement, the existence of effective treatment is a game-changer for patients."