First of its kind vaccine series to stop early-stage breast cancer being tested in US

PITTSBURGH, Penn. — Imagine a vaccine that can prevent breast cancer. A medical trial happening right now is off to a promising start to do just that.

In a first of its kind, researchers are testing if a series of vaccines could stop the progression of some early-stage breast cancers.

Researchers hope it could be a breakthrough in preventing breast cancer from spreading in patients.

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One of the vaccine recipients from the trial going on at the University of Pittsburgh said participating is a personal choice.

“It’s a personal decision and we really need to make sure more women survive breast cancer,” Maria Kitay, vaccine recipient, said.

Kitay told Channel 2 Action News that she made the decision to be the first patient to get the vaccine for early-stage breast cancer after watching loved ones get diagnosed before her.

“She had breast cancer and we visited her at St. Margaret’s Hospital when I was a little girl,” Kitay said. “She put her back against the wall and she said it’s so painful to have this.”

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Dr. Olivera Finn, the immunologist in Pennsylvania who invited the vaccine, said it’s 30 years in the works and there are 49 spots open for the clinical trial.

“We look forward to many more women signing up for this trial, this is a very innovative way to approach a breast cancer diagnosis, especially a pre-cancer diagnosis,” Finn explained.

The vaccine is given in three doses, two weeks apart. To qualify for a potential spot in the trial, you have to be post-menopausal, stage zero, and be willing to receive the vaccination a few weeks before surgery.

The hope is that the vaccine will trigger a strong immune response.

“The intention is after we prove after the first 50 patients that it is a promising vaccine that we will ultimately build a larger trial and people not just here in Pittsburgh getting vaccines but all over the country and all over the world,” Dr. Emilia Diego, Vice-Chair for Diversity and Inclusion & Division Chief of Breast Division at the University of Pittsburgh, said.

Finn said the long-term goal is to prevent cancer, and the women who participate in the trial will help them do that “once and for all.”

The vaccine trial is enrolling right now in Pennsylvania at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. There is a lot of hope for the research. Channel 2 Action News reached out to nearby Emory University Hospital on Friday, they said they expect to have a different breast cancer vaccine study available for trial enrollment in the fall.

A representative from Emory told Channel 2 Action News the version they’re working on would be a vaccine study for women with triple-negative breast cancer, and that they’ll be collaborating with other institutions to make additional trial options available for women with other subtypes of breast cancer.

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