What are cancer vaccines?
Cancer vaccines are intended either to treat existing cancer or to prevent the development of cancer. Cancer treatment vaccines are designed to strengthen the body’s natural defenses against a cancer that has already developed. These vaccines may stop an existing tumor from growing, stop a tumor from coming back after it has been treated, or eliminate cancer cells not killed by previous treatments. Cancer preventive vaccines are given to healthy people and are designed to target infectious agents that can cause cancer. The HPV vaccine is an example of a cancer preventive vaccine. It is used to help prevent cervical cancer.
