Why are some vaccines used to treat specific kinds of cancer?
Many cancer vaccines treat only specific types of cancers because they target antigens found on specific cancers. For example, a vaccine against prostate cancer may be able to attack cancer cells within the prostate itself or cells that have spread to other parts of the body, but would not affect cancers originating in other tissues. Vaccines that target antigens found on several different kinds of cancer cells are used to treat multiple cancers. The effectiveness of the vaccine would be expected to differ according to the amount of antigen on different kinds of cancer cells. Researchers also are investigating a possible “universal” cancer vaccine that might cause an immune response against cancer cells that originate from any tissue. • Are there vaccines under development to prevent cancer? Yes, some vaccines currently under investigation have the potential to reduce the risk of cancer. These vaccines target infectious agents that cause cancer and are similar to traditional prophylact
