New Vaccine Therapy for Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Abstract

Abstract Purpose of the review The objective of this review is to provide an analysis of early-phase clinical trials investigating vaccine therapies for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Specifically, the focus is on ongoing trials that are actively recruiting or in progress, while excluding vaccines that target neoantigens or those that have already completed trials. Recent findings Over the past decade, notable transformations have occurred in the strategy of breast cancer vaccine design. Traditional approaches to identifying tumor antigens, such as SEREX, have been replaced with modern techniques, such as RNA sequencing, HLA typing, and immunoinformatics. These new methods enable the identification and characterization of tumor antigens. Notably, current clinical investigations into tumor targets extend beyond mutated self-proteins or proteins that are overexpressed following neoplastic transformation. Clinical researchers are currently examining protein targets associated with cancer stem cells or non-malignant immune regulatory cell types within the tumor microenvironment. However, the application of up-to-date antigen delivery methods for certain types of breast cancer vaccine therapies still lags behind. Another significant transformation in comparison to previous breast cancer vaccine therapies is the emphasis on stimulating robust T-cell responses against breast cancer cells, independent of any B-cell response directed at the tumor. Summary In conclusion, we critically assessed the tumor antigens targeted by vaccine immunotherapies in these new clinical trials, the delivery methods used for these antigens, and conclude by discussing potential future directions for the development of new TNBC vaccine therapies.