Dendritic Cell Therapy (DCT) - Cancer Treatment with Dendritic Cell-based Vaccine | Centre of Advanced Medicine, Frankfurt, Germany

Dendritic cell-based cancer vaccines are a type of immunotherapy in which the patient's dendritic cells are used to make the immune system attack cancer cells. Dendritic cells are significant to the immune response because they show foreign substances to T cells, white blood cells crucial to the immune reaction. In making a vaccine, dendritic cells from the patient's blood or bone marrow are taken and put in a lab where they are exposed to cancer antigens. The dendritic cells are then given back to the patient, where they can help the immune system fight cancer cells. In the constantly evolving field of medical treatments, new and innovative therapies are emerging that offer hope for breakthroughs in treating various diseases. One such approach is Dendritic Cell Therapy (DCT), which is a form of immunotherapy that uses the body's own immune system to fight diseases. Each patient's dendritic cells are used to make a dendritic cell-based cancer vaccine, so each vaccine is unique. Dendritic cell-based cancer vaccines may target and kill cancer cells. They use dendritic cells to make the immune system attack cancer cells. Since vaccines are made from the patient's cells, they may have fewer side effects than other cancer treatments. Cancer vaccines made from dendritic cells might cause the immune system to respond to cancer cells in a way that lasts for a long time. It could make it less likely that cancer will come back. Dendritic Cell Therapy (DCT), also known as vaccine therapy, is an advanced immunotherapy that utilizes dendritic cells. These cells are the sentinels of the immune system and can trigger an immune response against specific targets, such as cancer cells or pathogens. Dendritic cells have a key role in identifying foreign invaders, and they activate other immune cells to recognize and eliminate these cancer cells or pathogens. How does Dendritic Cell Therapy work?Dendritic Cell Therapy (DCT) is a process that involves isolating dendritic cells from either a patient's blood or bone marrow. These cells are then exposed to antigens derived from the target disease, such as cancer-specific antigens or microbial components. This exposure activates and primes the dendritic cells. Once activated, the dendritic cells move to the lymphoid organs where they interact with T cells, which are essential in adaptive immunity. The dendritic cells activate the T cells, which results in a targeted immune response against cells that express the antigen, such as cancer cells or infected cells. This response ultimately leads to the death of the cells or pathogens. Main indicationsCancer immunotherapy: DCT is being investigated as a potential treatment for various advanced metastatic cancers, including melanoma, prostate, pancreatic, lung, colon cancer, and glioblastoma;Infectious diseases: DCT shows promise for treating viral (HIV, Hep B/C) & bacterial infections;Autoimmune diseases: Modulating immune responses could provide new avenues for treating autoimmune conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and multiple sclerosis. Several studies and clinical trials have shown promising results for Dendritic Cell Therapy as part of cancer treatment. Research indicates that when dendritic cells are activated with tumor antigens, they can trigger a robust immune response. This type of immunotherapy has been tested for various cancers, including melanoma, prostate cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, glioblastoma, and colorectal cancer. In some studies, dendritic cell-based vaccines have led to significant tumor regression and improved survival rates in patients. A clinical trial published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation demonstrated that dendritic cell-based immunotherapy could prolong survival in patients with melanoma, a highly aggressive form of skin cancer. Similarly, a study conducted at the University of Maryland’s Institute for Cancer Research found that dendritic cell therapy, when combined with standard treatments, improved the immune response and led to tumor reduction in patients with advanced prostate cancer. Moreover, a study published in Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy showed that dendritic cell vaccines improved the immune system's recognition of glioblastoma, a type of brain cancer, by promoting a specific immune response against the tumor. Other studies have also suggested that dendritic cell therapy may enhance the effectiveness of other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, through immune system activation.