<p>Reports about the likely development of a vaccine for cancer have raised hope in the fight against a dreadful affliction that has remained a threat to mankind for centuries. Scientists in Russia have announced that a vaccine they have developed has shown 100% efficacy in clinical trials. </p><p>There have been reports on three vaccines, including one using the mRNA (messenger RNA) technology, which involves prompting the immune system to recognise and destroy cancer cells by producing tumour-specific antigens. Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna had used the technology to develop Covid-19 vaccines. </p><p>The early-stage clinical trials of the vaccine which is in the news involved 48 patients who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The vaccine – developed by Russia’s National Medical Research Radiology Centre and the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology – was seen as shrinking the tumours and slowing their growth. No severe side-effects have been reported in the trials. Work on versions of the vaccine that target other types of cancer is progressing. Those in the pre-clinical trial stage are also reported to have shown positive results.</p>.<p>These are, still, early days – the vaccine has to undergo clinical trials on a large scale. Vaccines take years, sometimes decades, to develop and to be declared fully effective and market-ready. For a comprehensive assessment of the vaccine’s efficacy, trials will have to be conducted on genetically diverse cohorts of people in different geographies. Side-effects may appear after years – this means the stamp of efficiency may be further deferred. </p><p>Covid vaccines were developed against tough deadlines to counter the epidemic which was emerging as a global threat. Ongoing research is expected to refine these vaccines. Meanwhile, reservations and apprehensions about their use remain.</p>.<p>Cancer is a major killer and the world’s cancer burden has been increasing in recent decades for various reasons, including a major shift in lifestyle patterns. Treatment of the disease can be expensive and sometimes takes years, making it inaccessible to large sections of the population. </p><p>The various modes of treatment that are now in vogue, such as chemotherapy, have side-effects too. The world has been trying to find a cure for the disease and the possibility of a vaccine brings relief. Research on cancer vaccines has been undertaken in many countries. Clinical trials have been announced in the UK. India has also reported research on a vaccine aimed to counter some types of cancer. The wait has been on for decades; the world will keenly watch the developments in Russia.</p>
<p>Reports about the likely development of a vaccine for cancer have raised hope in the fight against a dreadful affliction that has remained a threat to mankind for centuries. Scientists in Russia have announced that a vaccine they have developed has shown 100% efficacy in clinical trials. </p><p>There have been reports on three vaccines, including one using the mRNA (messenger RNA) technology, which involves prompting the immune system to recognise and destroy cancer cells by producing tumour-specific antigens. Pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna had used the technology to develop Covid-19 vaccines. </p><p>The early-stage clinical trials of the vaccine which is in the news involved 48 patients who were diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The vaccine – developed by Russia’s National Medical Research Radiology Centre and the Engelhardt Institute of Molecular Biology – was seen as shrinking the tumours and slowing their growth. No severe side-effects have been reported in the trials. Work on versions of the vaccine that target other types of cancer is progressing. Those in the pre-clinical trial stage are also reported to have shown positive results.</p>.<p>These are, still, early days – the vaccine has to undergo clinical trials on a large scale. Vaccines take years, sometimes decades, to develop and to be declared fully effective and market-ready. For a comprehensive assessment of the vaccine’s efficacy, trials will have to be conducted on genetically diverse cohorts of people in different geographies. Side-effects may appear after years – this means the stamp of efficiency may be further deferred. </p><p>Covid vaccines were developed against tough deadlines to counter the epidemic which was emerging as a global threat. Ongoing research is expected to refine these vaccines. Meanwhile, reservations and apprehensions about their use remain.</p>.<p>Cancer is a major killer and the world’s cancer burden has been increasing in recent decades for various reasons, including a major shift in lifestyle patterns. Treatment of the disease can be expensive and sometimes takes years, making it inaccessible to large sections of the population. </p><p>The various modes of treatment that are now in vogue, such as chemotherapy, have side-effects too. The world has been trying to find a cure for the disease and the possibility of a vaccine brings relief. Research on cancer vaccines has been undertaken in many countries. Clinical trials have been announced in the UK. India has also reported research on a vaccine aimed to counter some types of cancer. The wait has been on for decades; the world will keenly watch the developments in Russia.</p>
