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Researchers could be one step nearer to a universalcancera shot that has the potential to change the way the illness is managed.
The vaccine employs mRNA, messenger RNA, the same technology that underlies theCOVID-19vaccines, which provide guidance to cells on how to create certain proteins.
Nevertheless, rather than guiding cells to produce a protein that initiates an immune reaction, scientists from the University ofFloridamRNA that functions as a red flag, quickly signaling the immune system and triggering a response.
In their research, mice that had human melanoma tumors were given the mRNA vaccine in combination with immunotherapy drugs, which are medicines developed to enhance and activate the immune system, once per week over a period of three weeks.
The synergy enabled immune cells to identify and target the cancer, resulting in tumor reduction and, in certain instances, total elimination.
Every mouse that did not receive treatment passed away within 50 days, whereas all the mice that were given the vaccine and immunotherapy lived for at least 60 days, with over half remaining alive on day 100 when the study concluded.
The study is still in its initial phase and has not been tested on humans yet, but researchers believe it provides an encouraging look at a potential future where chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery might no longer be required in the battle against cancer.
Dr. Elias Sayor, a pediatric oncologist who headed the study, stated: "This paper outlines a surprising and promising finding: that a vaccine not tailored to any specific tumor or virus might still produce tumor-targeted results."
"This result demonstrates the feasibility that these vaccines could potentially be developed into universal cancer vaccines, which may help activate the immune system to target a patient's specific tumor," she added.
Researchers view the creation of a cancer vaccine, which focuses on one of the primary causes of mortality, as a 'holy grail' of significant medical advancements.
Two primary methods are currently being used in the development of cancer vaccines: one involves finding a shared target present in numerous patients with a specific type of cancer, and the other focuses on developing a customized vaccine designed for an individual's unique tumor.
Nevertheless, the group conducting this recent study thinks their work presents a hopeful third method, which emphasizes triggering a strong immune reaction instead of attacking cancer cells directly.
Dr. Duane Mitchell, a neurosurgeon and co-researcher on the study, stated: 'What we discovered is that by employing a vaccine not aimed at cancer directly, but instead intended to trigger a robust immune system reaction, we were able to provoke a significant anti-cancer response.'
This holds great promise for widespread application among cancer patients, potentially paving the way for a ready-to-use cancer vaccine.
Every year, roughly 104,000 Americans arefound to have melanoma, the most severe type of skin cancer.If detected at an early stage, it is frequently manageable, but once the cancer has spread, the five-year survival rate decreases to only 34 percent.
In the research, scientists utilized mRNA obtained from mitochondria, the cell's energy-generating components, which may also initiate a swift immune reaction.
The scientists evaluated their innovative vaccine on various forms of cancer in mice, such as skin, bone, and brain cancers, and observed that in numerous instances, the tumors reduced in size or vanished completely after the treatment.
Dr. Elias Sayour, a pediatric oncologist and principal researcher, proposed that the vaccine could trigger T cells, immune cells tasked with identifying and eliminating dangers, which had previously not reacted, causing them to increase in number and target cancerous cells.
Dr. Duane Mitchell stated: 'This might offer a universal method to activate a patient's natural immune system against cancer. That would be significant if applicable to human research.'
Although the vaccine may still be several years from being used in clinical settings, the team states that they are actively working to move it into human trials.
The study was released in the publicationNature Biomedical Engineering.
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