The Potential of Cancer Vaccines

Posted on: October 28, 2023 *Updated on: May 27, 2024

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Cancer vaccines represent a fascinating area of research in the fight against cancer, including mesothelioma.

1. Pathogen Introduction: Traditional vaccines for infectious diseases often introduce a weakened or inactivated pathogen (or part of it) into the body to stimulate the immune system. In contrast, most cancer vaccines do not introduce pathogens. Instead, they generally include antigens (often proteins) specific to the cancer cells, to “train” the immune system to recognize them.
2. Targeting Mesothelioma: The immune system generally fails to recognize cancer cells as foreign because these cells originate from the patient’s own body and are not sufficiently different from normal cells. Some cancer vaccines aim to make the immune system more aware of the difference between cancer cells and normal cells.

Here’s the process:

How Cancer Vaccines Target Mesothelioma

Step 1 – Immune Evasion: Cancer cells, including mesothelioma cells, have ways to evade the immune system, allowing them to proliferate without being detected and destroyed.

Step 2 – Vaccine Administration: A cancer vaccine, which often contains cancer-specific antigens, is administered to the patient. These antigens could be synthetic or derived from mesothelioma cells. Sometimes these antigens are attached to immune-boosting compounds to increase their efficacy.

Step 3 – Immune Activation: The vaccine components are recognized by the immune cells, primarily dendritic cells, which then present these antigens to T cells. This activates the T cells and “educates” them to recognize mesothelioma cells as targets.

Step 4 – Target and Destroy: Activated T cells and sometimes B cells seek out and destroy mesothelioma cells that exhibit the specific antigens. Ideally, this process leaves healthy cells unharmed.

There were several vaccines related to cancer, but it’s essential to distinguish between vaccines that prevent cancer and those that treat existing cancers:

1. Preventive Cancer Vaccines: These are designed to prevent cancer from developing in healthy individuals. They target infectious agents that can cause or contribute to the development of cancer.
   • Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Vaccines: HPV is responsible for the majority of cervical cancers, as well as some cancers of the vagina, vulva, penis, anus, rectum, and oropharynx. Vaccines such as Gardasil 9 protect against several high-risk HPV types and can prevent many of these cancers.
   • Hepatitis B Vaccine: Chronic hepatitis B infections can lead to liver cancer. The hepatitis B vaccine can therefore prevent liver cancer by preventing the hepatitis B infection.
2. Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines: These are intended to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack the cancer. They are part of the broader field of cancer immunotherapy. As of 2022:
   • Sipuleucel-T (Provenge): This is a therapeutic vaccine for certain types of advanced prostate cancer. It’s customized for each patient. The patient’s own immune cells are collected, treated, and then reintroduced into the body to direct the immune system to target and attack the prostate cancer cells.

Several other therapeutic cancer vaccines were under investigation in clinical trials as of 2022. Research in this area is dynamic, with new findings and potential treatments emerging regularly. For the most current information, it’s a good idea to refer to cancer research organizations or governmental health agencies.

Note: Always consult with a healthcare professional about any medical concerns or questions.