Vähivaktsiinide

Vähivaktsiinid, also known as cancer vaccines, are a type of immunotherapy that aim to stimulate the body's immune system to recognize and attack tumor cells. Unlike conventional vaccines that prevent infectious diseases, cancer vaccines are designed to treat or prevent the recurrence of cancer by targeting specific antigens expressed on malignant cells.

The basic principle of a cancer vaccine involves exposing the immune system to tumor-associated antigens (TAAs) or tumor-specific antigens (TSAs). These antigens can be proteins, peptides, or other markers that are overexpressed or uniquely presented by cancer cells. Once the immune system is primed, it can mount a more robust and specific response against the tumor when it recurs.

There are several categories of cancer vaccines, including therapeutic vaccines that are administered after a diagnosis to reduce tumor burden, prophylactic vaccines that are given before cancer develops to reduce risk, and therapeutic vaccines used in combination with other treatments such as checkpoint inhibitors or chemotherapy. Notable examples include the HPV vaccine, which reduces the risk of cervical and other cancers by preventing virus-driven oncogenesis, and therapeutic vaccines like Provenge (sipuleucel-T) used in prostate cancer. Ongoing research also explores personalized cancer vaccines that tailor antigen selection to an individual patient's tumor profile using next‑generation sequencing.

Clinical trials continue to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cancer vaccines across a range of tumor types. While some vaccines show promise in prolonging progression‑free survival, others have yet to demonstrate a significant overall survival benefit. Challenges remain in selecting optimal antigens, achieving sufficient immune activation without inducing autoimmunity, and integrating vaccines into existing multimodal treatment regimens.