After their advanced kidney tumors were surgically removed, nine patients were protected from the cancer returning thanks to an experimental, personalized cancer vaccine, researchers reported Feb. 5.

A small, early trial of a vaccine that mobilizes the immune system to battle advanced kidney cancers appears successful, researchers report.

An experimental vaccine for kidney cancer is off to a promising start. In data from a Phase I trial released this week, the vaccine candidate appeared to be safe and produced a clear immune response in all nine patients at high risk for recurrences of their cancer.

The vaccine acts like a "wanted poster" unmasking cancer cells that are adept at hiding in the body, only to resurface later. The hope is that the vaccine primes the immune system to seek out and destroy any remaining traces of cancer, improving the chances of being cancer-free in years to come.

A new vaccine for kidney cancer shows excellent preliminary results. All patients on the trial had no evidence of cancer three years after the pioneering treatment.

In a Phase 1 study, nine people with advanced kidney cancer became cancer free after receiving personalized vaccines.

In a small clinical trial of nine patients with stage III and IV kidney cancer, a personalized anti-tumor vaccine generated robust immune response, according to findings of a new study led by HMS researchers at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Doctors at Dana-Farber say this personalized vaccine can be given after surgery to remove a tumor and train the body’s immune system to eliminate tumor cells.