Recently, researchers at the University of Georgia and the Mayo Clinic released exciting news in the fight against cancer. Researchers report that they have developed an anti-cancer vaccine that has shown positive results in reducing the size of cancer tumors in mice.
The vaccine can train the immune system to distinguish between cancer cells and healthy cells and to only attack the cancer cells. The vaccine triggers a powerful immune response in the mice that can reduce tumor size in mice by up to 80% and is seen as particularly powerful in fighting deadly forms of cancer such as breast cancer and pancreatic cancer.
What’s Next for the Vaccine?
Laboratory testing of this important vaccine is expected to continue during 2012, and clinical testing may begin as early as next year.
Will the Vaccine Be Enough to Treat Cancer?
Researchers warn that while the vaccine may be an exciting and effective tool in treating cancer, it alone is not enough. In order to be most effective, the vaccine must be combined with an early cancer diagnosis and the misdiagnosis of cancer must be prevented. Then, it is the hope of researchers, doctors and most especially patients, that cancer will become a more manageable disease and result in fewer deaths.