Newly discovered class of molecules may boost cancer vaccine development
Friday, August 17, 2018 - 09:00
in Health & Medicine
Cancer vaccines are designed to heighten the immune system's awareness of a tumor's unique features, boosting its ability to recognize, attack, and destroy the cancer. To date, effective cancer vaccines have focused on what are called "neoantigens," tumor-specific peptides that result from acquired mutations. But not every tumor produces distinct antigens that the immune system can recognize. As a result, current cancer vaccines don't work for all patients.