Dog Saves Owner, Now Cancer Vaccine Shows Promise

Chase Johnson's dog Cato started acting anxious around her in 2021, then did something that saved her life. He pressed his snout firmly against the side of her breast, alerting her to a lump that turned out to be stage 2B triple-negative breast cancer.

"I probably wouldn't be here today if it weren't for him," says Chase, 36, from Cary, North Carolina. She had no family history of breast cancer and never expected the diagnosis.

After a grueling year of chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation, Chase wanted to do more than just hope the cancer wouldn't return. She enrolled in a first-of-its-kind vaccine trial at Cleveland Clinic that could change how we prevent one of the deadliest forms of breast cancer.

The Phase I trial tested an investigational vaccine designed to train the immune system to recognize and attack triple-negative breast cancer cells before they can grow. Early results released in December 2025 showed the vaccine triggered an immune response in 74% of the 35 participants and caused no serious side effects.

Triple-negative breast cancer represents only 10 to 15% of all breast cancers, but it's far more deadly than other types. It's twice as common in Black women, and 70 to 80% of breast tumors in women with BRCA1 gene mutations are triple-negative.

"For triple-negative breast cancer, until just a few years ago, chemotherapy was our only option beyond surgery and radiation," says Dr. G. Thomas Budd, the study's lead researcher at Cleveland Clinic. "It's a hopeful time for all of us concerned about this serious disease."

Why This Inspires

Chase traveled to Cleveland multiple times for her three vaccine injections. She experienced no side effects and has remained cancer-free for nearly five years. Her participation helped researchers establish the right dosage and confirm the vaccine's safety.

The vaccine works by targeting a protein called α-lactalbumin, which appears in most triple-negative breast cancers but isn't needed in healthy adult tissue. By training the immune system to recognize this protein, the vaccine creates a defense against emerging tumors before they can take hold.

"I believe immunotherapy represents the future of cancer care, and I want to do my part to help advance research," Chase says. She learned about the trial while researching treatment options online and immediately knew she wanted to participate.

A larger Phase II trial is expected to begin in late 2026 to determine whether the vaccine can actually prevent cancer recurrence in survivors and reduce risk in women with genetic mutations that make them more susceptible. The trial will also include women receiving the vaccine alongside standard treatment.

Chase's story reminds us that medical breakthroughs start with brave volunteers willing to take a chance on hope.