Research has shown that KRAS pathway alterations are frequently found in malignant pleural mesothelioma cells, and particularly in epithelioid subtypes. This discovery led cancer scientists to identify the mutation as a potential target for future treatments. A promising experimental cancer vaccine developed at UCLA is one of the first to be developed.
KRAS Mutations in Mesothelioma Cells Drive Aggressiveness
KRAS point mutations are less commonly reported than others in mesothelioma cells, but studies in mouse models have shown that, when they’re present, these mutations can drive the rare form of cancer’s development and increase aggressiveness. Clinical studies have confirmed that mesothelioma patients with KRAS mutations often experience recurrent pleural effusions and face worse survival outcomes.
Mesothelioma researchers are now looking to a recently announced experimental cancer vaccine developed at UCLA, which has shown encouraging results in early trials for pancreatic and colorectal cancers. The vaccine, called ELI-002 2P, specifically targets KRAS-driven tumors by stimulating the immune system to recognize and eliminate residual cancer cells. Because mesothelioma patients often harbor KRAS pathway alterations, this vaccine may represent a new approach that directly addresses the genetic drivers of the disease.
Mesothelioma Insights from Other Cancer Studies
Though mesothelioma is a very different disease from pancreatic and colorectal cancers, parallels can be drawn between the two, including the fact that both of the latter cancers frequently recur due to KRAS mutations. In the UCLA-led clinical trials, the vaccine was tested on 25 patients and revealed that patients receiving the vaccine experienced an average relapse-free survival of 16 months and an overall survival of 28 months. These outcomes reflected a significant improvement over previous approaches, and scientists now hope that the protocol could potentially improve mesothelioma survival rates.
Mesothelioma treatment strategies are increasingly focused on immunotherapy approaches like UCLA’s vaccine, which works by training T cells to target cancer cells carrying KRAS mutations. Patients who developed strong, mutation-specific T cell responses experienced the greatest benefits in the trial, offering hope that the same mechanism could be applied to mesothelioma patients with KRAS alterations. Dr. Thomas Marron, an oncologist unaffiliated with the study, explained that the vaccine teaches the immune system to prevent recurrence by targeting small clusters of residual cancer cells.
Mesothelioma is one of the most difficult cancers to treat, and those diagnosed with the disease need many kinds of support. For information on how the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help, contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
