Harnessing the Immune System with Cancer Vaccines: From Prevention to Therapeutics

Abstract

Prophylactic vaccination against infectious diseases is one of the most successful public health measures of our lifetime. More recently, therapeutic vaccination against established diseases such as cancer has proven to be more challenging. In the host, cancer cells evade immunologic regulation by multiple means, including altering the antigens expressed on their cell surface or recruiting inflammatory cells that repress immune surveillance. Nevertheless, recent clinical data suggest that two classes of antigens show efficacy for the development of anticancer vaccines: tumor-associated antigens and neoantigens. In addition, many different vaccines derived from antigens based on cellular, peptide/protein, and genomic components are in development to establish their efficacy in cancer therapy. Some vaccines have shown promising results, which may lead to favorable outcomes when combined with standard therapeutic approaches. This review provides an overview of the innate and adaptive immune systems, their interactions with cancer cells, and the development of various different vaccines for use in anticancer therapeutics.

A Trinity Nano-Vaccine System with Spatiotemporal Immune Effect for the Adjuvant Cancer Therapy after Radiofrequency Ablation

“…Unlike monoclonal antibodies that target immune checkpoints, which can simultaneously activate the systemic immune response and modulate the tumor immune microenvironment through delivery to both the spleen and tumor, cancer vaccines based on subcutaneous or intramuscular injection mainly activate the specific immune response in lymph nodes and promote the migration of activated CTLs to tumor tissues through blood circulation. However, increased tumor burden often limits the infiltration of immune cells, impairing the therapeutic effectiveness of cancer vaccines . Therefore, reducing tumor burden is an effective strategy for improving vaccine efficacy.…”

“…However, increased tumor burden often limits the infiltration of immune cells, impairing the therapeutic effectiveness of cancer vaccines. 77 Therefore, reducing tumor burden is an effective strategy for improving vaccine efficacy. The experimental results also confirm that a lower tumor 15,78 Many organic or inorganic materials have recently been designed and constructed as adjuvants for tumor immunotherapy using vaccines.…”

Revolutionizing Cancer Treatment: Unleashing the Power of Viral Vaccines, Monoclonal Antibodies, and Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras in the New Era of Immunotherapy

“…Coupled with this is the need for the exploration and validation of immunomodulatory agents and combinations. Researchers must identify synergistic effects and the proper timing for integration with other therapies like radiation or chemotherapy, all while considering patient safety and efficacy . The role of viral infections such as Epstein–Barr, HBV, Hepatitis C, and HPV in 12% of cancer cases adds another layer of complexity and necessitates both preventive and therapeutic approaches .…”

Mechanisms of resistance to targeted therapy and immunotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer: promising strategies to overcoming challenges

“…Firstly, cancer vaccines specifically target tumor antigens, focusing the immune response on cancer cells while minimizing harm to healthy tissues, potentially reducing side effects compared to non-specific treatments ( 260 ). Secondly, by activating the immune system, cancer vaccines stimulate innate and adaptive immune responses, leading to systemic immune memory and long-term protection against cancer recurrence ( 261 ). Personalization is another advantage, as vaccines can be tailored to individual tumor characteristics, enhancing treatment efficacy based on specific antigens or mutations ( 262 ).…”