But theoretically, the vaccine could be administered to any woman.

While Tuohy sees extreme potential in the vaccine, he's quick to suppress his enthusiasm, cautioning that this vaccine, if effective in women, won't necessarily eliminate breast cancer.


"Sure, I'd love to see [breast cancer] eliminated, but no disease is 100 percent eliminated -- smallpox is the only one," he says. "We can, I think, be able to substantially reduce the incidence of the disease, have a substantial impact on preventing the development of breast cancer. I think that's what this vaccine approach will do."

The American Cancer Society (ACS), while calling the research "excellent," also cautions against people getting their hopes up right now.

"I'm not criticizing the research. The research is excellent, that's not my point," says Len Lichtenfeld, ASC deputy chief medical officer. "I think quite a number of hurdles will have to be crossed before it possibly becomes a reality...I'm concerned when I see studies like this promoted because I think it creates all sorts of hope for people when, in fact, the reality is quite a bit more conservative."

The researchers don't expect the vaccine to be available for women for another 10 years. It's still a matter of determining what the appropriate dose is for women and whether it only has to be administered one time.

"We're talking at least 10 years," Tuohy says. "I wish it was sooner."

Susan Brown, director of health education for Susan G. Komen for the Cure, also understands that there is a waiting period and people have to be patient.

"It's just a matter of being patient and understanding the process and waiting until the evidence is clear and see if [the vaccine] will really be useful in people," she says, pointing out that what works in animal models does not always work in humans.

"Hopefully the results will be good and will show promise and be effective in patients," she says.

As it is, says Tuohy, this type of vaccine has been a long time coming. As an immunologist, not a breast cancer researcher, he points out that there are childhood vaccines and senior vaccines, ranging from polio to shingles, but nothing for the 40-plus years in between.

"It made me realize that we have a wonderful childhood vaccine program for protecting us from childhood diseases, but we don't have any for protecting us from [early] adult diseases," he says.

If the vaccine ultimately becomes successful, Tuohy doesn't see why the method used to create this vaccine can't be applied to create vaccines to prevent all types of cancers and illnesses.

"The single most important factor for a vaccine is selecting a target," he says. "...The possibilities are certainly numerous, not just breast cancer but a variety of other cancers and perhaps, all sorts of other ailments."

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