A soft tissue sarcoma is a malignant, non-epithelial tumor. Such tumors may arise from muscles, adipose tissue, cartilage tissue, blood vessels, skin, etc. Sarcomas differ from cancer in that they do not grow from the epithelium.
These are relatively rare tumors. They can develop in any part of the body. There are more than 50 histological types of soft tissue sarcomas, and many of them are aggressive neoplasms with a poor prognosis.
The results of cancer treatment in developed countries are, however, constantly improving. More and more patients are being cured using modern methods. Even in advanced stages, doctors are achieving good results through innovations such as personalized dendritic cell-based cancer vaccines. Dendritic cell therapy for soft tissue sarcoma offers a promising immunotherapeutic approach for patients who have exhausted standard treatment options, and its discovery was awarded the 2011 Nobel Prize.
What are dendritic cells, and how do they work against soft tissue sarcoma?
As a soft tissue sarcoma treatment option, dendritic cell therapy harnesses the body's own immune system to recognize and target cancer cells. Dendritic cells are antigen-presenting cells. Their task is to detect the antigen, capture it, disassemble it into "spare parts", analyze it, and provide information to T-cells. Having received "instructions" from dendritic cells, T-lymphocytes begin to attack a foreign object, be it a tumor, bacteria, virus, foreign body, etc.
Dendritic cells are thus used in oncology to enhance the antitumor immune response. Therefore, this type of treatment relates to immunotherapy.
Typically, personalized therapeutic vaccines are produced from the patient's dendritic cells. Cells are collected from a person, "trained" to recognize tumor antigens, and then injected into the body. From them, T-cells receive information about which targets to attack. An immune response begins, which shrinks the tumor and its metastases and, in some patients, leads to their complete disappearance. The literature has already described many cases where, as a result of dendritic cell therapy, a complete response was achieved: not a single tumor was detected using radiation diagnostics, and in some patients, the disease never recurred even after several years of follow-up.
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When can dendritic cells be used for soft tissue sarcoma?
In the case of soft tissue sarcoma, advances in treatment options have led to improvements in survival rates and, consequently, an increase in life expectancy for many cancer patients. The standard treatment for soft tissue sarcoma is surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. In advanced stages, targeted therapy and immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors are used, which remove the "masking" of the tumor and prevent it from evading attacks by the immune system.
Dendritic cell therapy for soft tissue sarcoma is suitable for patients at various stages of the disease. This new treatment for soft tissue sarcoma (STS) involves collecting a patient's own cells, training them to recognize tumor antigens, and reintroducing them to stimulate an immune response. While research on these procedures is ongoing, results with dendritic cell vaccines show promise in multiple clinical scenarios:
- At early stages, after surgery, dendritic cell vaccines can reduce the risk of recurrence
- In intermediate stages, they can complement standard treatments to improve outcomes
- At advanced stages, they help control tumor growth and metastatic spread
- For treatment-resistant cases, they offer an alternative when other options have been exhausted
This is a systemic method of therapy that is effective even after the spread of distant metastases. Doctors use a personalized soft tissue sarcoma treatment option in the form of a vaccine, which is made for a specific patient. It represents several million autologous (the patient's own) dendritic cells treated with tumor antigens. Patients can also be offered soft tissue sarcoma therapy with hypothermia, hyperthermia (cooling and heating), angiogenesis inhibitors, and other methods.
What is the process of soft tissue sarcoma treatment with dendritic cells?
The dendritic cell (DC) therapy program for soft tissue sarcomas consists of two main visits:
- Blood is taken from the patient in a volume of about 100 ml
- Mononuclear cells are obtained from it
- Monocytes are isolated from mononuclear cells, and this process takes about two hours
- Dendritic cells mature from monocytes in a nutrient medium, and this process takes about one week
- Immature dendritic cells are sensitized by an antigen, such as a tumor lysate or liquid biopsy
- Maturation of dendritic cells is stimulated by a cytokine "cocktail"
- Immature dendritic cells turn into mature ones, and this takes about 7 days
- After a 7-day waiting period, the patient returns to the clinic, DC vaccination is administered
In total, up to 30 million dendritic cells can be obtained from 100 ml of blood. They can be injected intradermally, subcutaneously, or intramuscularly. Unlike multiple-injection protocols, this vaccination typically requires just one treatment. The immune system develops lifelong memory against cancer cells, with tests showing improved survival through continued identification and destruction of tumors and metastases.
Therapy is carried out on an outpatient basis. Follow-up for patients in a hospital is not required because dendritic cell-based vaccines are safe and do not cause any significant side effects. Some patients experience pain at the injection site and swollen lymph nodes, but severe complications should not be expected.
| What You Want to Know | Dendritic Cell Therapy Details |
|---|---|
| How it works | Uses your own immune cells, which are collected, trained to recognize cancer, and reinjected to activate your immune system against sarcoma |
| Success rates | Up to 95% for early stages |
| Treatment duration | One-time procedure (single treatment, not ongoing) |
| Recovery | Outpatient procedure, no hospital stay required |
| Side effects | Minimal; typically only injection site pain and swollen lymph nodes |
| Key benefits |
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| Cost |
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You can also explore the science behind dendritic cell therapy in the in-depth interview "INNOVATIVE DENDRITIC CELL TREATMENT IN GERMANY" with Professor Frank Gansauge, who brings over two decades of specialized experience.
Where can you undergo dendritic cell therapy for soft tissue sarcoma?
Not every hospital can use dendritic cells in the treatment of soft tissue sarcomas. Only a few specialized centers in developed countries use DCT for cancer treatment, as it is not yet a widely available procedure.
Booking Health can help you access DC therapy at leading German hospitals. We prioritize your care by selecting the best facility for your needs, securing lower treatment costs without foreign patient fees, and handling all travel arrangements. Our team will personally meet you at the airport and ensure your seamless journey to treatment.
Dendritic Cell Therapy: Patient Stories with Booking Health
Frequently asked questions of our patients
Begin Dendritic Cell Therapy for SarcomaDendritic cell therapy shows promise for patients with both early and advanced soft tissue sarcoma. Some patients can expect complete tumor disappearance after treatment.
Side effects are minimal, typically limited to injection site pain and swollen lymph nodes. Treatment is outpatient with no hospital stay required and severe complications are rare.
Only specialized centers in developed countries offer this therapy. Booking Health can connect you with suitable German hospitals and arrange all aspects of your medical travel.
Yes, dendritic cell therapy can complement standard treatments. As an immunotherapy, it works differently by enhancing your body's natural cancer-fighting response. Your oncologist can create a personalized plan combining multiple approaches.
Choose treatment abroad and you will for sure get the best results!
Authors:
The article was edited by medical experts, board certified doctors Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova and Dr. Vadim Zhiliuk. For the treatment of the conditions referred to in the article, you must consult a doctor; the information in the article is not intended for self-medication!
Our editorial policy, which details our commitment to accuracy and transparency, is available here. Click this link to review our policies.
Sources:
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Immunotherapy for Cancer Treatment
Article menu:
- What are dendritic cells, and how do they work against soft tissue sarcoma?
- When can dendritic cells be used for soft tissue sarcoma?
- What is the process of soft tissue sarcoma treatment with dendritic cells?
- Where can you undergo dendritic cell therapy for soft tissue sarcoma?
- Frequently asked questions of our patients
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