Despite the increasing media momentum around news of progress in cancer research, recent scientific studies reveal that the availability of effective preventive vaccines is still contingent on complex trials and long tests before they can be clinically approved.
The field of cancer research has seen rapid development in recent years, driven by advances in genetic engineering and vaccines based on messenger RNA (mRNA). According to a scientific study, the results of which were published and reported by Medical Xpress from researchers at Oxford University, scientists are currently working on developing vaccines aimed at preventing the onset of certain types of cancer before they form, rather than merely treating them after infection.
The study explained that these vaccines do not work in the traditional way of infectious disease vaccines, but aim to train the immune system to early recognize cells that may later turn into cancer cells. A vaccine specifically for lung cancer is currently undergoing advanced experimental testing, with human clinical trials expected to begin in the next few years.
Researcher Professor Sarah Blagden, specialized in experimental oncology at Oxford University, noted that the greatest challenge lies not in developing the vaccine itself but in ensuring its long-term effectiveness and safety when given to healthy individuals, which requires years of meticulous clinical follow-up.
The study also pointed out that the possibility of having preventive vaccines for several types of cancer within the next 10 years remains scientifically possible, but it is conditioned by the success of trials and the absence of unexpected side effects, in addition to the ability to produce and distribute them globally in a fair manner.
