Russia's health ministry has announced that it has created an m-RNA cancer vaccine that would be given to people at no cost. Instead of being administered to the general public to stop tumors from growing, the vaccine will reportedly be used to treat cancer patients.
While cancer vaccines are already in development, breakthroughs remain elusive to date. Both Pfizer and Moderna, which made the COVID-19 m-RNA vaccine, are already working in this arena but have yet to report any major success.
However, the full information about the vaccine has not yet been published. Many people put on hope for it.
But how does this vaccine work?
The vaccine trains the immune system to recognize and combat cancer cells by using parts of the patient's tumor. It aids the body in identifying distinct proteins on the surface of cancer cells called antigens. These antigens successfully target and eliminate cancer cells by inducing the production of antibodies by the immune system.
The vaccine pre-clinical trials have reportedly shown promising results, including the suppression of tumor growth and the prevention of metastases.
Is it really the treatment?
Cancer cells are similar to normal cells, making it difficult for the immune system to recognize them as threats. Since cancer cells often produce molecules that suppress immune responses, immune cells may fail to attack the tumor even if activated by a vaccine.
Cancer vaccines work by training the immune system to recognize tumor cells. If the cancer antigens present on both normal and abnormal cells are similar, the vaccine could cause immune cells to attack healthy cells, leading to unintended harm to the body. This makes it essential for vaccines to target only cancer-specific features.
References
https://apnipathshala.com/daily-current-affairs/daily-current-affairs-english/russian-cancer-vaccine/ Assessed and Endorsed by the MedReport Medical Review Board