Yathish Kumar
Karnataka cancer hopsital & research centre, India
Title: Dendritic cell vaccine therapy in breast cancer patients
Biography
Biography: Yathish Kumar
Abstract
Breast cancer continues to be a leading cause of death in Indian cancer patients. 20-30% of breast cancers relapse, despite of multi-modality treatments for the same. Although considered immunologically silent, breast cancer is recently treated or being tried to be treated with immunological treatment modalities. One such exciting modality is treatment with “dendritic cell vaccine”. As experimental therapy, dendritic cell therapy offers hope to those who have no options left in the course of their treatment and also to those few who want to avoid traditional chemotherapy and targeted therapy either in combination or alone. Dendritic cell vaccine is prepared by autologous method i.e. from the patient herself and is sensitised with various antigens including tumor cell lysates, interleukins, cytokines and other adjuvants. We present our experience in producing the dendritic cells and treating breast cancer patients at our centre in Bangalore, India. We have treated 14 breast cancer patients at various stages. Our method of harvesting and preparing dendritic cell from patients’ blood and activating the preparation is unique. We are currently offering these vaccines under a investigator driven protocol.
