Immunotherapy for the Treatment of Breast Cancer

Cancer is traditionally treated in a nonspecific manner that destroys both healthy and cancerous cells. Tailored pharmaceutical options exist that target cancer-specific pathways, but they are limited in efficacy due to adverse side effects and eventual resistance acquired by cancer cell populations.

Our increasing understanding of Immunology provides novel ways to manipulate the immune system towards a therapeutic outcome. Our laboratory’s focus is coaxing the immune system into targeting cancerous cells. The resulting immunotherapy may act as a stand-alone therapy, or synergistically with conventional therapies to improve cancer treatment. An additional advantage of immunotherapy is the generation of long-lasting immune memory that helps prevent reoccurrence of the cancer.

My research involves developing immunotherapies against breast cancer. To do this, I use tumor lysates as a source of antigen, and test a variety of adjuvants, delivery mechanisms, and therapeutic strategies. The goal is to generate a cancer-specific immune response, while avoiding potential autoimmunity.

Kim MT, Richer MJ, Gross BP, Norian LA, Badovinac VP, Harty JT. Enhancing Dendritic Cell-based Immunotherapy with IL-2/Monoclonal Antibody Complexes for Control of Established Tumors. J Immunol. 2015 Nov 1;195(9):4537-44. doi:10.4049/jimmunol.1501071. Epub 2015 Sep 25. PubMed PMID: 26408669; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4610867.

Gross BP, Wongrakpanich A, Francis MB, Salem AK, Norian LA. A therapeutic microparticle-based tumor lysate vaccine reduces spontaneous metastases in murine breast cancer. AAPS J. 2014 Nov;16(6):1194-203. doi: 10.1208/s12248-014-9662-z. Epub 2014 Sep 16. PubMed PMID: 25224145; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC4389752.

Makkouk A, Joshi VB, Wongrakpanich A, Lemke CD, Gross BP, Salem AK, Weiner GJ. Biodegradable microparticles loaded with Doxorubicin and CpG ODN for in situ immunization against cancer. AAPS J., submitted 2014.

Joshi VB, Geary SM, Gross BP, Wongrakpanich A, Norian LA, Salem AK. Tumor lysate-loaded biodegradable microparticles as cancer vaccines. Expert Rev Vaccines. 2014 Jan;13(1):9-15. doi: 10.1586/14760584.2014.851606. PubMed PMID:24219096; PubMed Central PMCID: PMC3968791.