mRNA Vaccines May Treat New Types of Cancer

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After pharmaceutical companies "Moderna" and "Merck" announced this summer the success of an experimental vaccine based on messenger RNA technology, known as "mRNA", in reducing relapses in patients with skin cancer known as melanoma during the third phase of clinical trials, scientific circles turned their attention to a greater possibility regarding the ability of this technology to pave the way for the treatment of other types of cancer.

Specialized researchers believe that this possibility is indeed present, although it is still far in terms of timing. In parallel with the results of the melanoma vaccine known as "Intisimeran Autogen", clinical trials are currently underway to test similar vaccines for the treatment of lung, pancreatic, and breast cancers, in addition to the brain tumor known as glioblastoma, according to the "Washington Post".

All of these vaccines rely on the same approach, which involves analyzing a sample of the patient's tumor to identify its specific genetic mutations, and then producing a customized vaccine that specifically targets those mutations, so that each patient receives a treatment designed specifically for their condition.

Unlike traditional vaccines that target external disease-causing agents such as viruses and bacteria, cancer vaccines face a completely different challenge, as cancer cells are derived from the body's own tissues and are not foreign to it.

In this context, Vinod Balachandran, director of the Olayan Center for Cancer Vaccines at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital, explained that teaching the immune system to recognize the tumor as a foreign body represents a "major scientific hurdle."

Here comes the role of mRNA technology, which carries instructions for producing proteins inside cells and gained widespread fame during the Corona pandemic. In cancer vaccines, this acid is used to direct the body to produce antigens that train the immune system to recognize and attack the tumor, a process described by one researcher as akin to "teaching the body a new recipe." These vaccines are characterized by their rapid production compared to traditional vaccines, as a customized dose for the patient can be prepared within weeks after analyzing a sample of their tumor.

Lung cancer, being the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States, occupies a prominent position in the current trials, where a phase three trial is underway to test the efficacy of the same vaccine used in melanoma on patients with early-stage lung cancer. Researchers indicate that the current standard treatment, based on surgical resection followed by monitoring, is insufficient for some high-risk patients, who may have a relapse and death rate of up to 30 percent.

Pancreatic cancer, on the other hand, is viewed as a much tougher test, as it is classified among about 80 percent of cancer types that currently do not respond to immunotherapy.

However, an initial trial of another vaccine named "Autogene Cevumeran" showed encouraging results, as the immune system responded in 8 out of 16 participants, and 7 of them remained alive 4 to 6 years after surgery, compared to a survival rate of no more than 13 percent over five years for this type of cancer. Researchers believe that the success of this technique in one of the toughest types of cancer may pave the way for its generalization to other types.

Despite the scientific optimism, researchers warned that the skeptical political stance towards mRNA vaccines, along with the cancellation of some government contracts designated for their development in the United States, could threaten the continuation of this research path. In contrast, officials at the National Institutes of Health in the U.S. confirmed the ongoing investment in this technology, specifically in the field of cancer vaccines, which have been described as "very promising."

Although most of these treatments are still in experimental stages that may take years before they are officially approved, researchers agree that the success of the melanoma trial represents a turning point that could reshape the future of cancer treatment based on vaccines specifically designed for each individual patient.