The cancer vaccine aims to stimulate the immune system so that it is able to recognize the tumor cells and eliminate them. Unlike the normal vaccines, which aim to prevent the occurrence of diseases, the vaccine against cancer is classified as immunotherapy, because it allows the immune system to act on the recognition and destruction of cancer cells present in the person. Understand how immunotherapy works.
Thus, the main goals of the cancer vaccine are:
- Prevents cancer growth and spread;
- Eliminates tumor cells that are in the body even with another treatment, such as chemotherapy, for example;
- Prevents the cancer from returning.
Despite the great advantage that the cancer vaccine for health, is still in the research and testing phase. The tests performed on rats showed good results, but it is not yet known if the same results can be perceived in people.
Vaccines that prevent cancer
Currently there is only one vaccine available in the Brazilian health system that is able to prevent some types of cancer, such as cervical, vaginal, vulvar and anal cancer, which is the vaccine against HPV. The hepatitis B vaccine is also able to prevent the occurrence of liver cancer, which can be taken at birth. Learn more about the hepatitis B vaccine and what it is for and when to take the HPV vaccine.
What types of vaccine are studied?
Cancer is a genetic disease caused by mutations occurring in the genetic material of cells, either by genetic predisposition or by inducing factors such as radiation, for example, which alters the identity of the cell. Each type of cancer has its cellular identity, which can also vary among people, making it difficult to create a vaccine that is universal for all types of cancer or that works for all people.
Thus, several surveys are being carried out to identify common characteristics of a particular type of cancer in several people to create the vaccine, in addition to research related to stimulation of the immune system. Cancer vaccines are not yet available as human trials and follow-up of treated people are still needed to verify treatment efficacy and possible side effects, as often the results in mice are not the same in humans.
Cancer Vaccine Personalized
The custom cancer vaccine aims to create a vaccine specific to each person from the analysis of their genetic material, which can become expensive. This type of therapy is already used in Germany to help treat advanced cancer.
It works by sequencing a person's biological sample, which may be blood, saliva or the tumor itself, to check for regions that contain changes in the genetic material of the cells, compared to a normal cell line. From the identification of the altered regions, the information is decoded in mRNA form and the vaccine is produced. Thus, in administering the vaccine, dendritic cells, which are cells responsible for regulating the immune system, recognize the antigen and begin to coordinate the immune response in order to eliminate the cells that have this genetic identification. Understand more about the function of dendritic cells.
Some research shows that the custom vaccine has its effects potentiated by performing another associated therapy, which makes the process more expensive.
Vaccine that stimulates the T cells
This vaccine is the most current in terms of research and is already being tested in humans. This vaccine was very effective in mice with skin cancer, the melanoma, being verified elimination of the tumor cells, besides not having been verified back of the cancer when the rats were induced again to cancer.
Under normal conditions, T cells, also called T lymphocytes, are responsible for recognizing any foreign substance in the body that can cause damage. However, in the case of cancer, there is an increase in the concentration of regulatory T lymphocytes, which act to protect the tumor, inhibiting the production of the other lymphocytes.
Thus, the purpose of this type of vaccine is to stimulate two stages of the immune system: the activation of the dendritic cell, which presents tumor antigens to T lymphocytes, and the co-stimulation of T cells to prevent them from assuming immunosuppressive, of the tumor.
This vaccine consists of tumor cells of the person and genetically modified with the objective of secreting cytokines that stimulate the proliferation and maturation of cells of the immune system. These genetically modified cells are irradiated before they are applied to the patient so that they lose their ability to replicate and cause cancer.
This therapeutic strategy can be used in conjunction with other types of treatment, such as surgery for tumor removal and chemotherapy, depending on the medical evaluation.
