Vaccine developed for cancer immunotherapy

[Still Waters 53,776]

Research involving messenger RNA (mRNA) has accelerated during the COVID-19 pandemic, and scientists are now reporting a new vaccine for cancer immunotherapy.

Similar to COVID-19 vaccines, Chinese scientists have developed a new mRNA vaccine that activates the immune system to attack a protein made by tumour cells instead of the protein produced by the coronavirus.

Crucially, this mRNA is contained in a breakthrough hydrogel developed by the team from the Chinese National Centre for Nanoscience and Technology, that, when injected into mice with melanoma, slowly released the RNA which successfully caused tumours to shrink and prevented them from metastasising.

https://news.sky.com/story/breakthrough-mrna-vaccine-developed-for-cancer-immunotherapy-by-chinese-scientists-12220758

[moonman 3,342]

So....the cure for cancer? Maybe? Too bad mice are a terrible human testing analogue, no telling if it will do the same in humans.

Edited February 17 by moonman

[Desertrat56 22,773]

I was under the impression that these cancer RNA vaccines already exist.  One is called Keytruda.  

Not advertising it but just wanted to mention it.  You can go to their website and see that the possible side effects might be worse than the cancer like all chemo and radiation therapies so it is not any great leap in cancer treatment in my opinion.

[griss47 95]

22 hours ago, Desertrat56 said:

I was under the impression that these cancer RNA vaccines already exist.  One is called Keytruda.  

Not advertising it but just wanted to mention it.  You can go to their website and see that the possible side effects might be worse than the cancer like all chemo and radiation therapies so it is not any great leap in cancer treatment in my opinion.

My mother has been on Keytruda for a couple of years now for lung cancer.  She's had no adverse affects and her last several PET scans have shown no sign of cancer in her body.