Cancer Vaccine Shows Potential

“This is an exciting advance in the field of cancer vaccines”.

Vaccines have been used for decades to prevent and treat infectious diseases. Their successful application has inspired researchers to explore the possibility of developing vaccines against cancer.

The goal of a cancer vaccine is to stimulate the body’s immune system to attack and eliminate cancer cells. However, developing effective cancer vaccines has proven to be challenging, due to the complexity of the disease. Cancers often vary greatly between individuals and even within the same tumour. Despite the challenges, there has recently been renewed interest in cancer vaccine research. This has been driven by breakthroughs in vaccine technology, such as the mRNA technology used in COVID-19 vaccines.

Recently, promising results have emerged from a phase 2 clinical trial which tested personalised mRNA vaccines for melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer. The vaccine targets unique mutations in a patient’s cancer while sparing healthy cells in the body. The trial recruited 157 patients previously treated for melanoma, who were also at high risk of experiencing a recurrence of their cancers. Whilst all patients received the immunotherapy drug Keytruda (the standard treatment for high-risk melanoma), 107 patients also received the personalised vaccine. Results showed only 22.4% of patients who received both treatments experienced a recurrence of their cancer during a two-year followed up period, compared to 40% of patients who received only the immunotherapy drug. This represents a difference of 44% between the two groups.

Dr Antoni Rabas, a professor of medicine at the University of California, described the significance of this personalised mRNA vaccine. He stated to NBC News: “It’s the first time a cancer vaccine has been shown to have this level of benefit, close to 50% decrease in the risk of relapse”. The potential of this personalised mRNA vaccine represents a novel approach to treatment, tailored to a patient’s specific cancer.

The researchers anticipate that the upcoming phase 3 trial, scheduled to launch this summer, will yield similar promising results. Margaret Callahan, from the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre called this “an exciting advance in the field of cancer vaccines”.