A Vaccine for Lung Cancer

Despite a drop in smoking, the number of new lung cancer cases continues to climb. It’s among the more deadly cancers with more Americans dying from it than any other cancer. Fortunately, a new vaccine to treat lung cancer is being tested. There are two main types of lung cancer, non-small cell and small cell.

So how does this cancer vaccine work?  Even though our immune cells recognize and kill abnormal cancer cells, they may not get all of them. Cancer cells are good at evolving to escape immune detection.  If the tumor gets too large, the immune system can’t eliminate it. However, the new vaccine can enhance this immune response through messenger RNA or mRNA. They’re naturally made in the cell nucleus, leave with a blueprint for making proteins, and head to the ribosomes which read and translate them into proteins.  

The vaccine delivers lab-made mRNAs with lung cancer antigens that teach the immune system to recognize and attack lung cancer cells. The BNT116 vaccine, as it is called, won’t replace standard treatments, especially at late stages.  It will complement surgery, chemotherapy, or immunotherapy.  

A clinical trial is happening at three dozen sites across seven countries. More than 100 patients are receiving weekly shots for six weeks and then intermittent shots for about a year to see how well the vaccine works. The hope is that it’ll be effective in the early stages and lower the chance of recurrence. Improving both would help save many lives.