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Paramyxoviruses for Tumor-targeted Immunomodulation: Design and Evaluation Ex Vivo
Published on: January 7, 2019
Current Landscape of Therapeutic Cancer Vaccines
Inbal Rosenthal1, Vered Padler-Karavani2
1Department of Cell Research and Immunology, The Shmunis School of Biomedicine and Cancer Research, The George S. Wise Faculty of Life Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Abstract:
Cancer vaccines aim to harness the immune system for prevention or treatment of the disease. This is achieved by immunizing against target antigens that are specific/associated with cancer. Myriad of particulate materials or cell-based strategies have been developed to induce immune responses against cancer antigens, using protein/peptide antigens, DNA or RNA, viral antigens, viral or bacterial vectors, embryonic material, whole tumor lysate, dendritic cells, red blood cells, exosomes, liposomes, engineered bioinspired and biomimetic vaccines and glycosylation-based vaccines. Several key factors affect the safety and efficacy of therapeutic cancer vaccines, including identification of potent neoantigens, dosage, adjuvant and regimen of immunization, route of administration and delivery methods, as well as overcoming intrinsic and extrinsic resistance mechanisms. More recently, novel approaches for improving cancer vaccines have been explored, such as intratumoral vaccinations, oncolytic viruses, and combination immunotherapies. This chapter aims to provide a glimpse into some of the most common approaches for therapeutic cancer vaccines.
Insights
Cancer vaccines utilize the immune system to fight cancer by targeting specific antigens. Various strategies, including particulate and cell-based methods, are explored to enhance vaccine safety and efficacy.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Oncology
- Vaccinology
Background:
- Cancer vaccines leverage the immune system to prevent or treat cancer by targeting cancer-specific antigens.
- Diverse strategies, including particulate and cell-based approaches, are employed to elicit immune responses against cancer antigens.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide an overview of common therapeutic cancer vaccine approaches.
- To highlight key factors influencing cancer vaccine safety and efficacy.
- To introduce novel strategies for improving cancer vaccine development.
Main Methods:
- Review of various vaccine platforms: protein/peptide, DNA/RNA, viral vectors, cell-based (dendritic cells, exosomes), and biomimetic vaccines.
- Discussion of critical factors: neoantigen identification, dosage, adjuvants, immunization regimens, administration routes, and delivery systems.
- Exploration of emerging approaches: intratumoral vaccination, oncolytic viruses, and combination immunotherapies.
Main Results:
- A wide array of vaccine strategies exist, utilizing diverse antigen sources and delivery systems.
- Vaccine success depends on optimizing antigen selection, delivery, and overcoming resistance mechanisms.
- Novel therapeutic strategies are continually being developed to enhance anti-cancer immunity.
Conclusions:
- Therapeutic cancer vaccines represent a promising avenue for cancer treatment and prevention.
- Continued research into novel platforms and optimization of existing methods is crucial for improving outcomes.
- Combination therapies and advanced delivery systems hold significant potential for future cancer vaccine development.
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