Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 13, 2026

Generation of a Novel Dendritic-cell Vaccine Using Melanoma and Squamous Cancer Stem Cells
12:43

Generation of a Novel Dendritic-cell Vaccine Using Melanoma and Squamous Cancer Stem Cells

Published on: January 6, 2014

Design and evaluation of antigen-specific vaccination strategies against cancer

R Offringa1, S H van der Burg, F Ossendorp

  • 1Department of Immunohematology and Blood Transfusion, Leiden University Medical Center, The Netherlands. Offringa@mail.MedFac.LeidenUniv.nl

Current Opinion in Immunology
|September 28, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Tumor-specific vaccination strategies are safe in cancer patients, but clinical responses remain rare. Future trials should focus on earlier disease stages and improved detection of immune responses for greater efficacy.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Vaccine Development

Background:

  • Preclinical studies in mouse models have informed the development of tumor-specific vaccination strategies.
  • The safety of these novel cancer vaccines is under evaluation in human clinical trials.
  • Early clinical trials indicate a generally favorable safety profile for cancer vaccination strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of tumor-specific vaccination strategies in cancer patients.
  • To explore the potential for improved clinical responses in conjunction with vaccine-induced immunity.
  • To identify factors influencing vaccine efficacy, such as disease stage and immune response detection.

Main Methods:

  • Clinical trials involving cancer patients receiving tumor-specific vaccines.
  • Assessment of vaccine safety and tolerability.
  • Monitoring of clinical responses and immune responses, including T cell immunity.
  • Analysis of patient disease stage in relation to treatment outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Tumor-specific vaccination strategies have demonstrated a generally safe profile in initial clinical trials.
  • Examples of significant clinical responses, particularly when linked to vaccine-induced immune responses, are currently limited.
  • A higher prevalence of end-stage cancer patients in current trials may contribute to the scarcity of observed responses.
  • Improved detection methods for natural and vaccine-induced T cell immunity are needed.

Conclusions:

  • While safe, current tumor-specific vaccination strategies show limited clinical efficacy in early trials, potentially due to patient selection (end-stage disease).
  • Anticancer vaccine efficacy is anticipated to be greater in patients with less advanced disease.
  • Further advancements in detecting T cell immunity are crucial for optimizing cancer vaccine development and application.

More Related Videos

In Vivo Assay for Detection of Antigen-specific T-cell Cytolytic Function Using a Vaccination Model07:05

In Vivo Assay for Detection of Antigen-specific T-cell Cytolytic Function Using a Vaccination Model

Published on: November 28, 2017

Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo12:42

Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo

Published on: January 7, 2019

Related Concept Videos

Vaccinations01:51

Vaccinations

Overview
Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity01:26

Antigens Involved in Adaptive Immunity

An antigen is any substance the immune system identifies as foreign and potentially harmful to the body, prompting an immune response. Antigens have two functional properties: immunogenicity and reactivity. Immunogenicity is the ability of an antigen to stimulate a specific immune response. At the same time, reactivity describes the antigen's ability to react with the cells and antibodies produced in response to it.
Complete Antigens
Complete antigens possess both immunogenicity and reactivity.
Tumor Immunotherapy01:27

Tumor Immunotherapy

Immunotherapy is a treatment that boosts or manipulates the immune system to fight diseases, including cancer. For instance, by stimulating an immune response through vaccinations against viruses that cause cancers, like hepatitis B virus and human papillomavirus, these diseases can be prevented. Nonetheless, some cancer cells can avoid the immune system due to their rapid mutation and division. The immune response to many cancers involves three phases: elimination, equilibrium, and escape.
Cancer Vaccines01:30

Cancer Vaccines

Cancer treatment vaccines are a rapidly evolving field that offers a promising approach to immunotherapy. Unlike traditional vaccines that prevent diseases, cancer treatment vaccines are designed to treat existing cancers by stimulating the immune system to recognize and attack cancer cells.
Cancer vaccines come in two categories: preventive (prophylactic) and treatment (active). Preventive vaccines, such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, protect against viruses that cause certain...
Vaccines01:21

Vaccines

Vaccines are among the most effective tools in preventive medicine, designed to prepare the immune system to recognize and combat infectious agents. By introducing antigens—substances that the immune system identifies as foreign—vaccines stimulate an adaptive immune response that leads to immunological memory. This immunological memory enables the body to mount a faster and more effective response upon future exposures to the actual pathogen.Vaccines can be categorized based on the type of...