The UK's National Health Service (NHS) announced last week that it had begun testing a vaccine that could prevent recurrence of bowel cancer. Professor Elliot Phephe, a 55-year-old father of four, was the first person to receive the in-person experimental immunization.
Cancer vaccine trials progress
Another thousand people must be recruited to participate in vaccine trials. According to a bulletin issued by the National Health Service, other vaccines will be tested in the United Kingdom against different types of cancer. The test aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of treatment aimed at preventing the recurrence of tumors in patients who have previously had cancer.
According to Peter Johnson, clinical director of cancer at the NHS, even in cases where surgery to remove the tumor is successful, the disease can still come back. This is because some cancer cells are still present in the patient's body. Therefore, vaccines must work so that the treated person's immune system targets remaining cells to prevent recurrence of the disease.
“Access to clinical trials can provide another option for patients and their families. Through our national platform, we will be able to expand opportunities to participate in these trials to more people.”
Elliot Phoebe
The university professor discovered that he had bowel cancer after undergoing a routine examination in 2023. He did not show any symptoms, and was diagnosed with the aggressive form of the disease.
To treat it, Vivi underwent surgery and chemotherapy until the tumor disappeared. “if [o estudo clínico] successful, [a vacina contra o câncer] “It could help thousands, if not millions of people, to have hope and not go through everything I went through,” he said in the statement.
How is the vaccine developed?
Cancer vaccines are being developed by the German biotechnology company BioNTech SE. To produce it, researchers analyze each patient's tumor to identify specific mutations in each cancer, thus producing a “tailored” version.
The vaccines are produced using mRNA technology, messenger RNA, similar to that used in Covid vaccines.
How can a vaccine prevent cancer recurrence?
Vaccines, in general, are manufactured to prompt people's immune systems to create responses to fight viral antigens when the organism is infected. Although cancer is not a viral disease, the new vaccine against the disease has the function of prompting patients' immune systems to recognize and fight cancer cells that remain after other treatments.
