Scientists claim to have developed a universal cancer vaccine that can train patients’ own bodies to seek out and destroy tumour cells.
A team from Tel Aviv University and drug company Vaxil Biotheraputics say the therapy targets a molecule found in 90 per cent of all cancers, and could soon pave the way for a universal injection that allows patients’ immune systems to fight off common cancers including breast and prostate cancer.
Preliminary results from early clinical trials have shown that the vaccine can trigger an immune response in patients and reduce levels of disease, The Sunday Telegraph reported.
Now, the scientists hope to conduct larger trials in patients to prove it can be effective against a range of different cancers.
In fact, they believe it could be used to combat small tumours if they are detected early enough or to prevent the return of the disease in patients, who have undergone other forms of treatment such as surgery.
Cancer cells usually evade patient’s immune systems because they are not recognised as being a threat. While the immune system usually attacks foreign cells such as bacteria, tumours are formed of patient’s own cells that malfunctioned.
The scientists have, however, found that a molecule called MUC1, found in high amounts on the surface of cancer cells, can be used to help immune system detect tumours.
The vaccine uses a small section of the molecule to prime the immune system so that it can identify and destroy cancer cells, say the scientists.
I am the spouse of a breast cancer patient. I request THE HINDU to follow up on this reaserch and update us who are praying for a miracle.
Haven't we heard similar claims before ? No I am not suggesting that this is another hoax, but this cannot be the solution. The deadly effects of meat eating, chemicals, synthetic hormones, smoking, pollution cannot be cured by a single vaccine. In fact I would worry about the unknown downsides such a vaccine might have. Medical "science" has made a guinea pig out of too many people in recent history only to withdraw drugs from the market and face lawsuits. To prevent cancers I would opt for an ayurvedic lifestyle and diet,yoga asanas, pranayamas, meditation and campaign for clean air and water wherever I go. That is the true long term solution - that is how Nature intends that we act.
Conceptually it is sound! The question is if it is effective as claimed and what are the
downsides? If it answers these questions in a satisfactory manner, then it is the 'holy grail' of
discoveries!!
Good news for highly Cancer-prone people, especially Chain smokers and
those who are using Tobacco products.
Considering the fact that this is a life saving drug, these should not be allowed to go for patenting which will render is out of reach from the common man like the current set of Cancer treating drugs. Many including me have lost all our life savings to treating cancers of our dear and loved ones just because the laboratories have patented their finds and made it too expensive for a middle class person to opt for it.
I wish to save my father from this deadly disease and I hope this breakthrough might be the answer for my prayers, if the come out at an affordable cost. Yet, depends on how long my father has with his current condition.
Prakash
Congratulations to all involved in this great adventure.
Let us fight the Man-killer disease, at affordable price to all with love and compassion. The entire humanity will be grateful to the Scientists who are developing the mediine against cancer...
The long drawn out battle against cancer seems to be yielding some
fruitful results. But the scientists need to carry out extensive trails
on patients, before declaring the vaccine discovery a success. In the
past a variety of techniques have been used like chemotherapy and
variety of drugs to fight against cancerous cells, but the remissions
were limited to 2-5 years and the disease has resurfaced. Hope this will
prove to be a breakthrough in the history of Cancer.
If the report is correct it is GREAT news--worthy of a Nobel prize.
Is it only a preventive vaccine? Will it lead to a cure too?
This is the question on the lips of millions who suffer from this fell
disease.
It is great discovery. At last the search to make use of our immune system to respond to the cancer cells.
Today we live in comfort because of such inventions. We should ask
ourself, our contribution in such areas without bias.Our R&D efforts
should be based on practical application and usefulness, rather than
serving the purpose of getting names, degrees and so on.
It is erroneous to suggest that immune cells have no capability to fight the tumour cells. In fact, a number of tumour antigens have been described that can be recognized by cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) in MHC class I manner. There is growing evidence to suggest humoral and cellular immune recognition (the two different facets of immune response) of human tumour antigens. In fact, Cancer Immunotherapy is a term that refers to the employment of the patient’s own immune system to fight cancer. Either by vaccination that trains immune cells or by therapeutic administration of antibody drugs, immune system’s ability to reject cancer cells in enhanced. Cytotoxic Lymphocytes (CTLs), Dendritic Cells (DC), Natural Killer cells(NK), Lymphokine activated Natural Killer cells (LNKs) etc. –all immunity cells—fight tumours.
However, of course, because the immune system raises assault mainly by distinguishing between the self and the non-self: many tumour cells do evade this attack because they are the “self”. But a large number of tumour cells do present and display antigens that cause their detection by the Cellular Immunity mostly by the Major Histocompatibility complex mechanism.
Examples of such antigens include the Glycosphingolipid GD2. The key role of alloreactive NK cells in eradicating acute myeloid leukemias and in preventing both graft rejection and graft-versusgens, has been observed.
As any elementary school student knows, the immune system is the part of the body
designed to deal with treating disease and maintaining overall health in the body.
It stands to reason, then, that there is a connection between the immune system and
cancer. Far from standing to reason, it has been proven through repeated scientific
experiments.
It has been discussed in many places that the average human being actually develops
cancerous cells repeatedly but those cells are destroyed by the immune system, as it
should be. The only time we ever become aware of the existence of cancer in our
bodies is when our immune system has already lost its fight against it.
Great discovery..but it would take some time before it is finally deployed for general public use as it's effect on human body and it's side effects are still need to be discovered.
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