Cancer Vaccines - Mayo Clinic in Florida

"We can use the biology of the human body to our advantage," says Dr. Knutson. He explains that there are three main uses of vaccines in treating, preventing recurrences, and preventing cancer development:

Treatment: Cancer vaccines can be applied alongside other treatment strategies to help treat a patient's cancer. These vaccines are used to stimulate the immune system to attack cancer cells.

Secondary Prevention: Vaccines can be used to prevent cancer recurrence in patients with early-stage disease that has not yet metastasized. After initial therapy brings the cancer into remission, vaccines aim to build up the patient's immunity to cancer and prevent it from coming back.

Primary Prevention: Researchers are exploring the use of vaccines to prevent an initial cancer diagnosis, typically for people with a genetic risk for developing the disease. This approach aims to stimulate an immune response before cancer emerges, much like vaccinations for infectious diseases.

"Cancer is incredibly smart, constantly mutating and evolving. The immune system, like a living drug, adapts and changes with it," explains Dr. Chumsri.

By harnessing the power of the immune system, these vaccines offer a promising new approach to treating and preventing cancer. With ongoing research and clinical trials, Mayo Clinic physicians are leading the way in this transformative field, bringing us closer to a future where cancer is a preventable disease.

"I think in the future, we can have some form of cancer prevention, cancer interception, preventing cancer with a vaccine,” says Dr. Knutson. “I think that's a big thing, and I hope to see that in my lifetime.”

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