17th February 2025 (16 Topics)
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Russia’s Cancer Vaccine
Context
Russia made a major announcement regarding the development of a new, personalized mRNA-based cancer treatment. The vaccine, expected to be available by early 2025, has shown promising results in pre-clinical trials by suppressing tumor growth and preventing metastasis (spread of cancer cells).
What is an mRNA Cancer ‘Vaccine’?
- An mRNA cancer vaccine is a form of immunotherapy, a treatment that aims to boost the body’s immune system to recognize and destroy cancer cells.
- Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent infections by using weakened or inactivated pathogens, an mRNA vaccine works by introducing genetic information (mRNA) to instruct the body’s cells to produce specific proteins.
- These proteins act as antigens, which the immune system can recognize and target for destruction.
- In cancer treatment, these mRNA vaccines are not for prevention. Instead, they are used in patients who already have cancer.
- The goal is to help the immune system identify and attack cancer cells, which often develop mechanisms to avoid detection by the immune system.
How Do These Vaccines Work?
- Cancer cells can evade detection by the body’s immune system, which allows the tumors to grow and spread.
- Immunotherapy, including mRNA vaccines, aims to overcome this challenge by boosting the body’s immune response to recognize and destroy cancer cells.
- The mRNA cancer vaccine works by delivering a blueprint (mRNA) into the body’s cells, which instructs the cells to produce certain proteins (antigens) that are specific to the cancer cells.
- The immune system then recognizes these antigens as foreign and mounts an attack against the cancerous cells.
- Since this therapy is personalized, the vaccine is tailored to target specific antigens present in the individual patient’s tumor, making it more precise and potentially more effective than traditional treatments.
- This method is different from chemotherapy, which often harms healthy cells along with cancer cells. In contrast, immunotherapy aims to target only cancer cells, leading to fewer side effects.
Key Differences Between mRNA Vaccines for Cancer and Traditional Vaccines
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