Cancer Immunotherapy

Cancer Immunotherapy

What is cancer immunotherapy?

“Cancer immunotherapy” is a type of therapy that utilizes the power of the body’s own immune system to attack or eliminate cancer.

According to Japan’s cancer statistics (Cancer Registry and Statistics, National Cancer Center), the number of new cancer patients (cancer incidence) has been increasing since 1985; in 2020, it is estimated to exceed 1,000,000, approximately triple the number in 1985.
On the contrary, the survival rate is increasing with the remarkable progress of medicine.
However, a certain number of patients do not respond to the currently available standard therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy (anticancer drugs), and radiotherapy.
Under such circumstances, “cancer immunotherapy,” which uses our natural “immune system” to eliminate bacteria and viruses that invade our body, is attracting attention worldwide as a new option.

In recent years, “cancer immunotherapy” has made great progress in cancer treatment as a therapy for intractable/advanced cancer that is difficult to treat using the existing standard therapies. To date, efforts for “personalized cancer treatment” have begun to provide optimal “cancer immunotherapy” for each patient by analyzing their profile, such as immune response, cancer cells, and cancer tissue environment, under dramatic advances in genetic analysis technologies.
At NEO Clinic Tokyo, we offer next-generation tailored cancer immunotherapy following the basic policy of “precision medicine.”

Combined Immunotherapy for Cancer

At NEO Clinic Tokyo, we offer “combined immunotherapy for cancer” suitable for each patient following the policy of “precision medicine,” primarily using neoantigen peptide vaccine therapy and oncoantigen peptide vaccine therapy, combined with cancer immunotherapy, cytokine therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, and molecular targeted therapy.

The following three major types of immunotherapies for cancer are appropriately combined to maximize the therapeutic effect:

A type that enhances the immune system’s ability to attack cancer	– Neoantigen peptide vaccine therapy – Oncoantigen peptide vaccine therapy – Cancer Immunotherapy – Cytokine therapy
A type that restores the immune system’s ability to attack cancer compromised by cancer	– Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy
A type that stops immunosuppression caused by cancer	– Low-dose anticancer drugs – Antibody therapy – Molecular targeted therapy – Cancer Immunotherapy (Neo T cell therapy[αβT-cell therapy]) – Cytokine therapy

Clinical Research/Clinical Studies/Clinical Reports by Doctors at Our Clinic

• Hijikata Yasuki et al, Internal Medicine. 2020
• Hijikata Yasuki et al, JCO Precision Oncology. 2020
• Ota Yasunori ,Hijikata Yasuki et al, Molecular Ther. Oncolytic .2019
• Hijikata Yasuki et al, PLoS one. 2018
• Hijikata Yasuki et al, ANTICANCER RESEARCH.2018
• Hijikata Yasuki et al, Clinical Immunology. 2016
• Hijikata Yasuki et al, Cancer Immunol Res.2014
• Hijikata Yasuki et al, Acta Oncol.2008
• A research for an immunotherapy combined with chemotherapy for patients with advanced solid tumors
• A Phase I Clinical Study on Intensive Adoptive Immunotherapy in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors Using RNF43 Peptide-Pulsed Dendritic Cells and RNF43 Peptide-Specific Activated Lymphocytes

Flow of Combined Immunotherapy for Cancer

The following illustrates the general flow of combined immunotherapy for cancer, focusing on neoantigen peptide vaccine therapy and oncoantigen peptide vaccine therapy:

Options:

• Low-dose anticancer drug therapy
• Antibody therapy
• Molecular targeted drug
• Cancer Immunotherapy
• Cytokine therapy
• Immune checkpoint inhibition therapy

Can be added.

Example schedule of combined immunotherapy for cancer

Example 1: In case of primarily focusing on the neoantigen peptide vaccine therapy

Genomic analysis, etc.About 1 month	Cancer tissues, specimens, or blood will be collected by surgery or biopsy
	Genomic analysis/neoantigen identification
	Options available during genomic analysisTo stop immunosuppression – Low-dose anticancer drug/antibody therapy – Molecular targeted drug/cytokine therapy
Peptide synthesisAbout 2–4 weeks	Neoantigen peptide synthesis
VaccinationAbout 1.5–3 months	An immunostimulant is added.
	The neoantigen peptide vaccine is subcutaneously injected.
	Option(s)– Cancer Immunotherapy – Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy

Example 2: if primarily focusing on the oncoantigen peptide vaccine therapy

Blood test, etc.About 1–2 weeks	Blood samples will be collected.
	Hematologic test/oncoantigen identification
Peptide synthesisAbout 2–4 weeks	Oncoantigen peptide synthesis
VaccinationAbout 1.5–3 months	An immunostimulant is added.
	The oncoantigen peptide vaccine is subcutaneously injected.
	Option(s) – Immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy – Low-dose anticancer drug/antibody therapy – Cancer Immunotherapy – Molecular targeted drug/cytokine therapy

Concomitant use with other treatments

“Cancer immunotherapy” and “molecular targeted therapy” can be expected to generate synergistic effects and become more effective by appropriately combining them with the three major standard therapies: surgical procedure (surgery), chemotherapy (anticancer drugs), and radiotherapy.

Patient’s medical information is considered to determine the most effective treatment method and the schedule of treatment.

Selection of treatments included in combined immunotherapy for cancer by disease stage and goal

At NEO Clinic Tokyo, we offer “combined immunotherapy for cancer,” based on “peptide vaccine therapy,” such as neoantigen peptide vaccine therapy or oncoantigen peptide vaccine therapy, according to the patient’s disease stage and treatment goal.
Individual treatment plans are formulated according to the disease stage and goal of each patient, for example, a current standard therapy received for advanced cancer, unresponsiveness to anticancer drugs, and willingness to prevent recurrence after surgery.
The following treatment menus are examples. The drugs and schedule used for the actual treatment vary depending on the patient.