Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo
12:42

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

Published on: January 7, 2019

Cancer vaccines as a therapeutic modality: The long trek

A G Dalgleish1, M A Whelan

  • 1Department of Oncology, St. George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, SW17 0RE, London, UK. dalgleis@sgul.ac.uk

Cancer Immunology, Immunotherapy : CII
|March 1, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Cancer vaccines show promise, with successes in colorectal, renal, and prostate cancers. Combining immunotherapy with chemotherapy may improve efficacy and integrate vaccines into standard cancer treatment.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Immunology
  • Vaccinology

Background:

  • Cancer vaccine development has faced challenges, with promising early-phase trial data not consistently translating to successful Phase III outcomes.
  • Reasons for Phase III trial failures include protocol amendments and inadequately defined patient populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the successes and failures in cancer vaccine development.
  • To identify key reasons for Phase III clinical trial failures.
  • To explore the synergistic potential of cancer vaccines with other treatment modalities.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of cancer vaccine clinical trials.
  • Analysis of factors contributing to Phase III trial outcomes.
  • Examination of immunotherapy's interaction with other cancer treatments.

Main Results:

  • Significant survival benefits observed with autologous vaccines in colorectal, renal, and prostate cancers.
  • Evidence suggests immunotherapy can synergize with chemotherapy, potentially overcoming immune suppression.
  • Chemotherapy may reduce regulatory T-cell activity, enhancing anti-tumor immune responses.

Conclusions:

  • Despite past setbacks, cancer vaccines have demonstrated significant survival benefits in specific cancers.
  • The synergy between immunotherapy and chemotherapy offers a promising avenue for improving cancer vaccine efficacy.
  • Cancer vaccines have the potential to become a standard component of treatment regimens for various common tumors.

More Related Videos

Experimental Melanoma Immunotherapy Model Using Tumor Vaccination with a Hematopoietic Cytokine09:15

Experimental Melanoma Immunotherapy Model Using Tumor Vaccination with a Hematopoietic Cytokine

Published on: February 24, 2023

A Nonviral Approach to Generate Transient Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Using mRNA for Cancer Immunotherapy09:56

A Nonviral Approach to Generate Transient Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Using mRNA for Cancer Immunotherapy

Published on: February 21, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Cancer Therapies02:49

Cancer Therapies

Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Cancer Therapies02:49

Cancer Therapies

Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
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...