Cancer vaccine: how far are we from curing cancer?. (1st February 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Choudhury, Ruhul; Durrant, Lindy
• Is Part Of: Biochemist. Volume 41:Number 1(2019)
• Page Start: 12
• Page End: 15
• Publication Date: 2019-02-01
• Subjects: Molecular biology -- Periodicals; Biochemistry -- Periodicals; 572
• DOI: 10.1042/BIO04101012
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0954-982X

Abstract

Abstract : Although cancer treatment has developed considerably in the 21st century, there are still 8–9 million people dying of this disease each year. One strategy, using a patient's own immune system to combat their cancer, has recently led to a significant improvement in survival rates. The concept of immunotherapy is not new; as far back as 1893, William Coley reported tumour regression following repeated injections of bacterial toxin from Streptococcus pyogenes in a patient with advanced sarcoma. Over 100 years later, the use of cancer vaccine has come a long way, with a better understanding of the immune system's interaction with the tumour microenvironment.