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先端がん治療による新しい可能性を

Targeted Cancer Treatment

“Cancer treatment is an all-out effort.” Together with patients and their families, we pursue the potential of treatment,
including advanced medicine rooted in clinical research.

For patients with the following concerns:

  • When beginning treatment: “I want to do everything I can.”

  • When starting preventive treatment to avoid recurrence: “I want a treatment with minimal side effects.”

  • During follow-up: “I’m worried about a possible relapse.”

  • When seeking treatment: “I want a therapy that can cure me.”

所長 島袋 誠守 医師

DirectorMasamori Shimabuku

1990: Graduated from the Faculty of Medicine, University of the Ryukyus
August 2015: Joined Center for Advanced Medical Science and Technology Institute
2020: Become Vice Director of the Tokyo Midtown Institute of Advanced Medical Research
2024: Appointed Director of Tokyo Midtown Advanced Medical Research Institute

Message from the Director, Tokyo Midtown Center for Advanced Medical Science and Technology Putting patients’ wishes first and helping them make the best decision.

As a surgeon involved in cancer treatment for many years, I’ve faced situations where standard treatments were insufficient, leaving us with few options but to observe. In that context, I participated in a clinical study on immunotherapy and discovered its effectiveness and potential. Dendritic cell vaccine therapy can be a treatment option for advanced cancer. Due to its low rate of adverse effects, it also holds promise for preventing recurrence and metastasis.

As physicians, it is our responsibility to present patients with all available options and accurate information—to help them make the best decisions. Let’s work together to find the most appropriate treatment for you. While we emphasize evidence-based standard therapies, we believe our mission is to identify promising, research-backed treatments for patients who wish to overcome cancer and to provide them safely.

The Role of Immunotherapy at Our Center

“The power of immune system”
is essential for cancer treatment and prevention

The immune system is deeply involved in both the development and recurrence of cancer. We believe that maintaining or enhancing body’s immune system can support treatment outcomes, prevent recurrence, and reduce side effects.

Role of Immunotherapy1The foundation of cancer treatment
If a tree represents cancer treatment, then the immune system is its roots. Though invisible, the immune system provides the essential foundation that supports effective cancer care.
Role of Immunotherapy2Enhancing treatment efficacy
By maintaining and strengthening the immune system—the “roots” of cancer treatment—it supports the entire treatment process. Strong immune system enables cancer treatments to perform at its full potential.
Role of Immunotherapy3Reducing side effects
When the roots are weak, the tree (cancer treatment) might fall under its own weight. Reinforcing the immune system helps reduce the burden of cancer treatment and provides a stable foundation that can endure.
がん治療を支える免疫のちから

Cancer Treatment at Our Institution (1)

Dendritic Cell Vaccine Therapy:
Targeting Cancer Through the Immune System’s Control Center

Dendritic cells are a type of immune cell that gather information (tumor markers) about foreign substances such as cancer cells and relay it to the body’s attacking immune cells. Dendritic cell vaccine therapy uses this function by artificially loading dendritic cells with cancer-specific antigens (tumor markers) and reintroducing them into the body. This approach strengthens the body’s natural immune response to cancer.

Treatment Process

  1. 1
    Extraction
    A blood sample is collected, and immune cells—the precursors to dendritic cells—are extracted from the blood.
  3. 2
    Cell Culture
    In the cell production clean room, dendritic cells are taught to recognize the specific characteristics (markers) of the cancer.

    ■What are the cancer antigens (tumor markesrs)?

    Cancer cells often produce unique proteins or express certain proteins at much higher levels than normal cells. These proteins are called cancer antigens.

    Cancer antigens often result from mutations in the cancer cell’s genetic code, producing abnormal proteins that the immune system recognizes as foreign.

    Immune cells such as lymphocytes use these antigens as markers to distinguish cancer cells from normal ones, allowing them to target and attack the cancer.
    There are many types of cancer antigens, and the effectiveness of dendritic cell vaccine therapy depends on which antigen is selected for treatment.

  5. 3
    Reintroduction into the Body
    The enhanced dendritic cells—now equipped with the ability to recognize cancer markers—are reintroduced into the patient’s body as a vaccine.
  7. 4
    Attack on Cancer Cells
    The dendritic cells present the learned tumor markers to attacking immune cells (such as lymphocytes). These immune cells then identify and target cancer cells that display the same markers, launching a precise and coordinated immune response.

In Dendritic Cell Vaccine Therapy,
“Taught Markers” Are The Key

Cancer treatment at our center (2)

Adopting next-generation cancer antigens (markers)
We have adopted cutting-edge technology
developed through joint research with a university hospital
to provide two advanced types of dendritic cell vaccine therapies.

Treating various cancer types using artificial cancer antigens (markers) “WT1 peptide” × “dendritic cell vaccine therapy” Customized treatment at the genetic level“Neoantigen” × “dendritic cell vaccine therapy”

Treating various cancer types using artificial cancer antigens (markers)“WT1 peptide” × “dendritic cell vaccine therapy”

The WT1 peptide is based on the WT1 protein, which is found in many types of cancer. Professor Haruo Sugiyama of the Faculty of Medicine at Osaka University developed this artificially synthesized peptide to activate immune cells.

WT1 has also been found to be expressed in cancer stem cells—the progenitor cells that give rise to cancer. Because of this, the WT1 peptide is now being widely used in cancer treatment, including as a target in dendritic cell vaccine therapy.

Customized treatment
at the genetic level“Neoantigen” × “dendritic cell vaccine therapy”

Neoantigens are a newly formed protein fragments (antigens) that are produced by cancer cells due to DNA mutations, but are not found in normal cells. Neoantigens are analyzed thanks to advances in gene analysis technology. Cancer cells and its genetic mutation will continuously change in response to a cancer treatment and/or progression, hence the neoantigens will also continue to alter in its protein sequence and/or in detected number. By applying neoantigens to dendritic cell vaccine therapy, the treatment will target each patient’s unique cancer at the genetic level.

This immunotherapy is based on the clinical trial on safety and treatment feasibility, conducted in collaboration with the Jikei University School of Medicine.

ネオアンチゲンは自分のがんだけが持つ目印で治療や進行により進化し続ける
Joint clinical trial with the Jikei University School of Medicine Kashiwa Hospital
Title of the trial: Neoantigen-dendritic cell vaccine therapy in combination with standard chemotherapy for unresectable pancreatic cancer
jRCT登録番号 jRCTc030190081
https://jrct.niph.go.jp/latest-detail/jRCTc030190081

Analyzing current genes without an invasive tissue extracton

Our center has introduced “liquid biopsy,” a technique that analyzes the genetic information of cancer through a simple blood test. This allows to detect and identify neoantigens without the need for cancer tissue.

By regularly analyzing and identifying neoantigens, we provide personalized treatment at the genetic level—tailored to “attack the cancer at that particular moment.

がん組織を用いず、今の遺伝子を解析

Center Overview and Features

Midtown Clinic Group provides patient-centered medical care
using advanced equipment in a comfortable and private setting.

Located in Midtown Tokyo—a vibrant development with shops, hotels, and art museums—our center offers cutting-edge medical services, including cancer immunotherapy, regenerative medicine (stem cell therapy), and cancer gene testing for the treatment and prevention of serious diseases.

We have designed an environment where patients can relax, supported by concierge services, private consultation rooms, and exam spaces that prioritize privacy and peace of mind.

Promoting the establishment and provision of next-generation medical care
with operational support from the Resorttrust Group.

Our center is dedicated to promoting the establishment and delivery of next-generation medical care, with operational support from Advanced Medical Care Inc., a group company of Resorttrust, Inc.

We aim to provide personalized medical care tailored to each individual patient by leveraging the total support of our partnerships with various medical institutions within the Midtown Clinic Group, as well as the expertise of the Resorttrust Group, which operates across a wide range of fields, including the medical sector.

Joint research with university hospitals
and over 10 years of treatment achievements

More than 1,000 cases treated

Since our establishment in 2010,
we have provided cancer treatment to patients with a variety of conditions.

Joint research with university hospitals

Technology developed
through collaborative research

Our clinic not only provides cancer treatment but also explores the potential of immunotherapy. We conduct a variety of clinical studies aimed at establishing effective treatment methods. We believe immunotherapy offers a unique and valuable option in cancer care, and we are actively engaged in collaborative research with university hospitals to build clinical evidence and advance treatment development.

Dedicated clean rooms for cell culture

Sterile environments to ensure quality and safety

Our clinic is equipped with dedicated clean room (sterile environments) for cell culture. Our cultivation staff—clinical cell cultivators* certified by the Japan Society for Regenerative Medicine—carry out cell culture and vaccine production with great care, ensuring that each treatment is customized to the individual patient.

  • *Certified by the Japan Society for Regenerative Medicine

Frequently Asked Questions

A

Dendritic cell vaccine therapy at our clinic is available for all types of solid tumors*, regardless of progression / diagnosed stages. Patients must generally be able to eat to a reasonable extent, care for themselves, and walk independently and visit the clinic without difficulty. We offer personalized treatment plans tailored to each patient’s condition, including advanced cancer, early-stage cancer prevention, recurrence, and metastasis.
*Childhood cancers and blood cancers are not eligible for this therapy.

A

Side effects are generally very mild.Since the treatment uses the patient’s own immune cells, the most commonly reported side effects are fever (up to 38.5°C), fatigue, and/or redness or swelling at the injection site. No serious side effects have been reported to date.

A

One course of immunotherapy includes 7 doses of vaccine injection, and we ask patients to visit the clinic every 2–3 weeks during the course of treatment. Hospitalization facility is not available at our clinic.

A

Yes. Depending on your condition and treatment history, our physicians will assess whether initiating or continuing treatment is appropriate and feasible for you.

Access

Our clinic is conveniently located with direct access to Roppongi Station on both the Oedo Line and the Hibiya Line.

Address
Midtown Tower 6F, 9-7-1 Akasaka, Minato-ku,
Tokyo 107-6206 Japan (In Tokyo Midtown)
Tel
03-5413-7920Call hours: Mon-Fri 9: 00-17: 00 (excl. holidays)