Hope rises for cancer patients as new cancer vaccine finds way to overcome tumor defenses

Adebayo Obajemu

Cancer vaccination is a generally seen as hotbed of research and innovation. Some vaccines target multiple types of cancer, while others are personalized for individual tumors. However, hope is rising as developing vaccines for tumors are able to dodge the desired immune response via a molecular escape mechanism.

This week, Medical News Today reported on the development of a new vaccine that is designed to target the immune escape mechanism and leave cancer cells open to attack.

The vaccine works by preventing the destruction and removal of two stress proteins. This means vaccinated tumor cells remain “visible” to the immune system, allowing a coordinated immune attack by both T cells and natural killer (NK) cells.

In the laboratory, the protective effect persisted for at least 4 months in mice. Further trials in rhesus monkeys indicated that the initial vaccine and boosters were safe and effective at providing protective immunity against immune escape.

Researchers plan to begin phase 1 clinical trials next year to test the safety and efficacy of this vaccine against a broad range of cancers in humans. If successful, the vaccine could become an off-the-shelf option for many tumors.

This week, there’s another cancer research breakthrough, with news of a trial in which all the participants emerged free of colorectal cancer. There’s good news for people looking for relief from difficult-to-treat chronic migraines, and a new study highlights yet another benefit of drinking coffee: protection from kidney injury.