Cancer vaccines are an emerging personalised treatment for cancer. Using the same mRNA technology as COVID vaccines, they stimulate the immune system to destroy cancer cells.
Moderna is testing an mRNA vaccine in combination with pembrolizumab to treat melanoma.
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Gregory Allen, University of California, San Francisco
Immunotherapy has the potential to eliminate tumors, but works best for select patients. Engineering T cells to bypass cancer’s defenses could help expand treatment eligibility to more patients.
Identified in boxer dogs in 1984, the parasite Neospora caninum is harmless to humans, yet has been shown to be effective against tumour cells in mice.
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October is awash in seas of pink T-shirts, balloons and ribbons in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. But this messaging fails to recognize people who are not cured of the disease.
It’s a long-term treatment – people having allergen immunotherapy typically notice improved symptoms after six to 12 months.
Stem cell transplants involve completely eliminating and then replacing the immune system of a patient, often by transplanting the bone marrow.
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Patients with blood cancer undergoing stem cell transplantation have a high risk of complications. The bacteria in their gut, however, can help their immune system recover and fight infections.
Priscilla Chan and Mark Zuckerberg with Moshe Biton (right) and Aviv Regev (left). The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative is one of the major funders of the Human Cell Atlas.
Chan Zuckerberg Initiative
Pioneered by the Human Cell Atlas consortium, our understanding of the human body is about to be transformed – and with it, the way we treat and prevent disease
Dendritic cells (green) produce cytokines like IL-12, which can train T cells (pink) to attack tumors.
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Aslan Mansurov, University of Chicago Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering
One promising cancer treatment has been in the works for decades, but severe side effects have kept it out of the clinic. A reengineered version may offer a way to safely harness its potent effects.
Anticipating when cancer cells become resistant to treatment can help oncologists more quickly adjust their therapies.
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Applying the principles of ecology and evolution could help oncologists anticipate cancer drug resistance and optimize their treatment plans for patients.
Not all tumours can be detected by the body’s immune system.
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The parasite which causes toxoplasmosis has shown promise in treating difficult tumours in mice.
Many women with metastatic breast cancer feel left out of annual ‘Pinktober’ awareness drives because these campaigns tend to focus on earlier, more curable stages of the disease.
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A diagnosis of metastatic breast cancer means having cancer for the rest of one’s life – a situation with very different needs and concerns compared to earlier stages of the disease.
The estimated lifetime costs of antiretroviral therapy for someone who acquires HIV at age 35 is $358,380.
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People with HIV need to take daily medication to keep the virus at bay. A study has found that a new treatment combination could boost immunity and control virus levels even after stopping medication.
The gut is filled with microbes that can affect human health.
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Whether or not you respond to a certain medicine or therapy doesn’t just depend on you. The microbes in your gut play a role in the success or failure of various drugs, including cancer therapies.
Delivering DNA to immune cells is the trickiest part of developing new gene-based therapies.
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Researchers are trying to boost the power of our immune system by genetically altering our white blood cells and transforming them into super-soldiers to fight cancer.
Alex Trebek recently received news that he is in remission from pancreatic cancer.
Alex Trebek announced this week that his pancreatic cancer is in remission. A pancreatic cancer specialist explains the difficulties of the disease as well as new treatment advances.
For developing countries in Africa immunotherapy solutions is important given the high cost of cancer drugs.
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The cornerstone of our adaptive immune system is the ability to remember the various infections we have encountered. Quite literally, if it doesn’t kill you, it makes your immune system stronger.
Jarryd Roughead was successfully treated with immunotherapy for melanoma.
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