7 Healthcast: Prostate cancer vaccine

13 years ago, James Wilson says he didn’t even know what a prostate was, but he got a fast education. He was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 1992. Since then, he's been through all kinds of treatments including hormone therapy, one of the most common treatments for advanced prostate cancer. Still, his cancer has spread, which is not uncommon.

Oncologist Dr. Gregory Rausch says "But virtually 100% of those men eventually develop progression of the disease. When that occurs and they become resistant to hormone treatment. There are few alternatives. The only real alternative right now is chemotherapy."

Now a vaccine designed to stimulate the patient's immune system to fight prostate cancer is being studied. It's different from other cancer vaccines that are made from the patient's own cells. "Prostate cancer cells are so similar from patient to patient, you can use sort of a standard cell line to develop the vaccine," says Dr. Rausch.

If the vaccine is effective, it could help prostate cancer patients survive longer. So far, patients have reported few side effects.

"It's uncomfortable and painful when you do the actual injections, and they have to be given every three weeks," says Dr. Rausch.

Results from initial studies of the vaccine are promising. Now it's being tested to see how effective it is compared to chemotherapy. James has signed up for the latest study. He says, " If I can help one person, me first, and then someone else, you or whoever, I'm glad to do it."

The American Cancer Society recommends men get screened for prostate cancer every year, starting at age 50.

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