JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (WSVN) — A cancer vaccine undergoing testing at the Mayo Clinic has reportedly helped kill cancer cells in a patent battling the disease.
According to First Coast News, Lee Mercker was the first participant in a clinical trial for the vaccine after she learned she had breast cancer in March.
Mercker said she was diagnosed with “DCIS stage zero” breast cancer, which means the cancer cells had not yet spread.
Mercker said she had three options: a lumpectomy where the cancer cells are removed, a mastectomy where the breasts are removed, or she could join a clinical trial for a potentially life-saving vaccine to kill the cells and prevent them from coming back.
“I signed on the dotted line that day,” Mercker told the station.
Dr. Saranya Chumsri told First Coast News the vaccine stimulates a patient’s own immune response so that the immune cells go in and attack the cancer.
Mercker said it was a 12-week process of shots and tests which worked in her favor. However, she was still required to get a mastectomy to ensure everything was removed properly and so researches could access the effectiveness of the vaccine.
Researchers are now using the vaccine on another patient who is also reportedly showing good results.
Chumsri said clinical trials for patients with other stages of cancer are also showing good results.
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