The search for a TNBC vaccine: the guardian vaccine

• Published in: Cancer biology & therapy Vol. 26; no. 1; p. 2472432
• Main Authors: Fines, Cory, McCarthy, Helen, Buckley, Niamh
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Taylor & Francis 01.12.2025; Taylor & Francis Group
• Subjects: Cancer Vaccines - immunology; Cancer Vaccines - therapeutic use; Female; Humans; immunotherapy; Immunotherapy - methods; mRNA; p53; Review; Triple negative breast cancer; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - immunology; Triple Negative Breast Neoplasms - therapy; vaccine; vaccine; mRNA; Triple negative breast cancer; immunotherapy; p53
• ISSN: 1538-4047; 1555-8576; 1555-8576
• DOI: 10.1080/15384047.2025.2472432

Nearly 20 million people are diagnosed with cancer each year with breast cancer being the most common among women. Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), defined by its no/low expression of ER and PR and lack of amplification of HER2, makes up 15-20% of all breast cancer cases. While patients overall have a higher response to chemotherapy, this subgroup is associated with the lowest survival rate indicating significant clinical and molecular heterogeneity demanding alternate treatment options. Therefore, new therapies have been explored, with a large focus on utilizing the immune system. A whole host of immunotherapies have been studied including immune checkpoint inhibitors, now standard of care for eligible patients, and possibly the most exciting and promising is that of a TNBC vaccine. While currently there are no approved TNBC vaccines, this review highlights many promising studies and points to an antigen, p53, which we believe is highly relevant for TNBC.