You may have heard the term cancer vaccine before, but do you really understand what it means? A cancer vaccine can take different forms, but in general, it’s a treatment that prompts the body to attack its own tumors. Although this idea might sound new and innovative, there’s actually been research on cancer vaccines for decades now. In fact, many scientists say that we could potentially see cancer vaccines available by 2030—and as we get closer to that date, more and more promising developments are happening in the field of cancer vaccination research.
Introduction
Cancer has long been a major health concern around the world, and has killed millions of people in recent decades. The disease is caused when cells begin to grow out of control, and can affect any part of your body. According to the American Cancer Society, about 1.6 million new cases are diagnosed each year in the United States alone.
Vaccines for Cancer
The human papilloma virus (HPV) is one of many viruses that can lead to cervical, head, and neck cancers. However, new research conducted at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City has found that a vaccine for HPV could help prevent these cancers from developing further. Researchers looked at over 1,500 women with precancerous changes in their cervix who were given three doses of the Gardasil vaccine over six months and then followed up every six months for five years. Of those women, only two out of the 1,500 ended up developing cancer following the study period because they were vaccinated against it beforehand.
DNA Vaccines
Researchers from the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have found that DNA Vaccines can kill cancer cells in mice with melanoma, a type of skin cancer. This study is in its early stages and needs to be tested on other animals before being tested on people, but it provides great hope for those who are fighting this disease today. The process of injecting tumor samples into the body so they produce an immune response will not work for all types of cancer; it would need to be tailored specifically to each kind of cancer, which will require more research.
Why aren’t we using them now?
Scientists and researchers are working on many different types of cancer vaccines, but they have found it hard to create a vaccine that can prevent or cure all types of cancers. The next step is finding out which type of vaccine will work best for which type of cancer, but that is an expensive and long process. It could take years before we know whether this new treatment is effective. But one thing scientists know for sure: Cancer rates are going up every year, so a potential cure needs to happen now.
Future Research and Development Directions
Cancer is one of the most feared diseases in the world, but new research is showing that a cure might not be far away. Cancer vaccine therapies are being developed which could prove to eradicate the disease within our lifetime. We hope these developments will not only provide cures for cancer patients, but also give scientists better understanding about how to prevent other types of cancers from occurring as well. We're encouraged and excited to see what the future holds.
A 2013 study found that 20% of adult Americans have been diagnosed with some form of cancer. Researchers estimate this number will increase to 23% by 2020 and 44% by 2050 unless prevention efforts take place now. By 2020, there may be 1 million people diagnosed with cancer annually and 2 million deaths each year globally due to this dreaded illness-many who never had a chance at fighting it off before it spread beyond control.
What is the CURE FOR CANCER?
Cancer is caused when a cell in your body mutts, or becomes abnormal, and starts multiplying out of control to form a tumor. Cancer can affect any part of the body, including your skin, lungs, breasts, brain and bones. There are about 200 different types of cancers that exist today and an estimated 12 million people worldwide are diagnosed with this disease annually.
Conclusion In recent years, there has been a significant increase in people being diagnosed with cancer. With a vaccine on the horizon, it's possible that we may soon see an end to this trend. The study also found that living in cities may make one more susceptible to developing cancer.
If you or someone you know is at risk of developing cancer and would like more information about ways to prevent this from happening, contact your doctor for a consultation.
