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Reviewed by

Dr. G Krishna Reddy

Director Oncology Services – HOD and Chief Consultant

Manipal Hospitals, Vijayawada

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Cancer Vaccines: Current Progress, Future Innovations, and Challenges in Prevention

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The advancement of cancer vaccines is opening new doors in cancer prevention and treatment. While a few vaccines are approved and are currently used in management of certain cancers, there are many more cancer vaccines that are in development or clinical trial stages. In this blog a cancer care expert in Vijayawada describes about basic understanding of cancer vaccines, present cancer vaccines, including their mechanism, future vaccine development prospects, key research challenges, and breakthroughs.

Synopsis

Cancer Vaccines: What We Know
The Future of Cancer Vaccines: Research and Innovations
Challenges and Limitations in Cancer Vaccine Development
Conclusion

Cancer Vaccines: What We Know

Cancer vaccines are different from the widely used vaccines in routine immunization. While the routine vaccines are primarily administered before exposure to the pathogens (infection causing agents) for prevention of infection, cancer vaccines can be used to prevent or treating certain cancers. There are two types of cancer vaccines: preventive vaccines and therapeutic vaccines.

Preventive cancer vaccines are used to prevent cancer from developing, while therapeutic cancer vaccines are used to treat cancer once it has formed. The table below discusses the major differences between cancer vaccines and regular vaccines:

Major Differences Between Cancer Vaccines and the Regular Vaccines
Property	Cancer Vaccine	Regular Vaccine
Type	Either preventive or therapeutic	Primarily preventive
Purpose	Preventive vaccines- used to prevent cancers by preparing the body immunity to attack the viruses that cause certain cancers (like HPV or HBV) Therapeutic vaccines – they are used to treat already existing cancers by training the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells (like Provenge vaccine for treating prostate cancer	Given before given before exposure to protect against future infections and to prevent infectious diseases (e.g., polio, flu, COVID-19)
Target	Cancer cells or the mutated cells within the body	Target the pathogens (infection causing agents) or foreign bodies
Composition	Often require personalisation based on the cancer profile such as tumor heterogeneity, immune evasion	Generally universal composition
Challenges in achieving efficacy	Cancer cell similarity to normal cells, immune evasion, and heterogeneity	Pathogen mutation, vaccine hesitancy
Availability	Some are approved, and many are in clinical trials or the development stage	Widely available and used for global immunization

A few vaccines are approved and are currently used in the management of certain cancers, there are many more cancer vaccines that are in development or clinical trial stages. Here’s what we know about current cancer vaccines:

HPV Vaccine: The most well-known cancer vaccine is the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which protects against strains of the virus that can cause cervical cancer. The vaccine has also been shown to prevent other cancers linked to HPV, such as throat, anal, and penile cancer.
Hepatitis B Vaccine: The Hepatitis B vaccine protects against the Hepatitis B virus (HBV), which can lead to liver cancer. The vaccine also reduces the risk of liver cancer by preventing the infection.
Provenge: Provenge is a therapeutic vaccine used in prostate cancer treatment. It trains the immune system to recognise and attack prostate cancer cells. Provenge is one of the few FDA-approved cancer vaccines, demonstrating the potential for cancer vaccines in cancer therapy.
BCG Treatment for Bladder Cancer: In addition to vaccines for cervical and liver cancer, immunotherapy-based approaches like BCG for urinary bladder cancer treatment are well established. BCG (Bacillus Calmette-Guérin) is a form of immune treatment used in urinary bladder cancer treatment, where it stimulates the immune system to attack cancer cells lining the bladder.

Cancer Vaccines

The Future of Cancer Vaccines: Research and Innovations

The future of cancer vaccines holds great promise. Researchers are exploring ways to create more effective vaccines targeting various cancers. In particular, mRNA technology, which was used in COVID-19 vaccines, is being adapted for cancer vaccines and is showing great potential for the future. Here’s what we can expect in the future of cancer vaccines:

Personalised Cancer Vaccines: One exciting development in cancer vaccine research is the creation of customised vaccines targeting unique mutations in an individual’s cancer cells. These vaccines are tailored to each patient’s genetic profile, offering more effective treatment options.
mRNA Cancer Vaccines: Following the success of mRNA vaccines for COVID-19, researchers are exploring mRNA technology for cancer vaccines. mRNA cancer vaccines instruct the body’s cells to produce cancer-specific proteins, which then stimulate an immune response.
Cancer Vaccine Combinations: Researchers are exploring combinations of cancer vaccines with other cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapies. This approach could enhance the effectiveness of existing treatments and improve overall outcomes.
Cancer Vaccines for Multiple Cancer Types: Current research is focused on creating cancer vaccines that can prevent or treat multiple types of cancer, not just one. This could revolutionise the way we approach cancer prevention and treatment.
Preventive Vaccines for More Cancers: Scientists are working on developing cancer vaccines for other types of cancer, such as breast cancer, lung cancer, and pancreatic cancer. These vaccines would provide an opportunity for prevention before the disease even develops.

Challenges and Limitations in Cancer Vaccine Development

While cancer vaccines hold tremendous potential, several challenges and limitations must be addressed before being widely used. Here are the key challenges and constraints in cancer vaccine development:

Targeting Specific Cancer Cells: One challenge is identifying antigens unique to cancer cells but not present in healthy cells. Cancer cells can sometimes evade the immune system, making it difficult for cancer vaccines to work effectively.
Cancer Heterogeneity: Cancer cells within the same tumour may have different characteristics, making it challenging to develop a one-size-fits-all vaccine. This heterogeneity means that cancer vaccines may need to be tailored to the specific mutations in each patient’s cancer.
Immune System Resistance: Cancer cells can sometimes suppress the immune system, preventing cancer vaccines from activating the necessary immune response. Overcoming this immune resistance is a critical challenge in cancer vaccine development.
Vaccine Delivery: Another challenge is ensuring that cancer vaccines are delivered effectively to the correct part of the body. Researchers are working on improving vaccine delivery methods to maximise their impact.

Conclusion

The future of cancer vaccines holds tremendous promise for cancer prevention and treatment. While we already have successful cancer vaccines like those for HPV and Hepatitis B, there is still much to learn and develop. Advances in mRNA technology, personalised vaccines, and combination treatments offer exciting possibilities.