Who could benefit from ASCI?

When could ASCI be used?

ASCI has the potential to treat cancer whenever the cancer antigen is displayed on the cancer cells. It could potentially prevent the spread of a tumor, stop the growth of an existing tumor, or even make it disappear. ASCI could therefore potentially prevent cancer from returning when given after a tumor has been surgically removed (this is referred to medically as the ‘adjuvant setting’).

Likewise, ASCI may potentially help prevent the progression of cancer even after it has already spread to other parts of the body through metastasis (called the “metastatic setting”).

Who can currently receive ASCI?

ASCI is still an experimental form of cancer treatment. Currently, only people who are eligible to take part in the clinical trials have the possibility of receiving it as part of their treatment.

In lung cancer, these will be patients with a surgically removed, MAGE-A3-positive, Stage IB, II or IIIA non-small cell lung cancer. To find out more about this clinical trial and its eligibility criteria, click on the link below.
http://www.ascitrials.com/

In melanoma, eligible patients are those with stage IIIB or IIIC melanoma that has spread macroscopically to the lymph nodes and is MAGE-A3-positive. To participate in the trial, patients must have had their cancer completely removed by surgery, and must be classed as free of disease after their operation.