Cancer Vaccines in the Immunotherapy Era: Promise and Potential

Immunotherapy and delivery systems for melanoma

Melanoma is a highly malignant tumor of melanocyte origin that is prone to early metastasis and has a very poor prognosis. Early melanoma treatment modalities are mainly surgical, and treatment strategies for advanced or metastatic melanoma contain chemotherapy, radiotherapy, targeted therapy and immunotherapy. The efficacy of chemotherapy and radiotherapy has been unsatisfactory due to low sensitivity and strong toxic side effects. And targeted therapy is prone to drug resistance, so its clinical application is limited. Melanoma has always been the leader of immunotherapy for solid tumors, and how to maximize the role of immunotherapy and how to implement immunotherapy more accurately are still urgent to be explored. This review summarizes the common immunotherapies and applications for melanoma, illustrates the current research status of melanoma immunotherapy delivery systems, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of each delivery system and its prospects for clinical application.

Immunotherapy Vaccines for Prostate Cancer Treatment

BACKGROUND

Therapeutic tumor vaccines have emerged as a compelling avenue for treating patients afflicted with advanced prostate cancer (PCa), particularly those experiencing biochemical relapse or ineligible for surgical intervention. This study serves to consolidate recent research findings on therapeutic vaccines targeting prostate tumors while delineating prevalent challenges within vaccine research and development.

METHODS

We searched electronic databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus, up to August 31, 2024, using keywords such as 'vaccine', 'prostate cancer', 'immunotherapy', and others. We reviewed studies on various therapeutic vaccines, including dendritic cell-based, antigen, nucleic acid, and tumor cell vaccines.

RESULTS

Studies consistently showed that therapeutic vaccines, notably DC vaccines, had favorable safety profiles with few adverse effects. These vaccines, with varied antigenic formulations, demonstrated strong clinical outcomes, as indicated by metrics such as PSA response rates (9.5%-58%), extended PSA doubling times (52.9%-89.7%), overall survival durations (17.7-33.8 months), two-year mortality rates (0%-12.5%), biochemical relapse rates (42%-73%), and antigen-specific immune responses (33.3%-71.4% in responsive groups).

CONCLUSION

While clinical data for tumor vaccines have illuminated robust evidence of tumoricidal activity, the processes of their formulation and deployment are riddled with complexities. Combining vaccines with other therapies may enhance outcomes, and future research should focus on early interventions and deciphering the immune system's role in oncogenesis.

mRNA vaccines: a new era in vaccine development

The advent of RNA therapy, particularly through the development of mRNA cancer vaccines, has ushered in a new era in the field of oncology. This article provides a concise overview of the key principles, recent advancements, and potential implications of mRNA cancer vaccines as a groundbreaking modality in cancer treatment. mRNA cancer vaccines represent a revolutionary approach to combatting cancer by leveraging the body's innate immune system. These vaccines are designed to deliver specific mRNA sequences encoding cancer-associated antigens, prompting the immune system to recognize and mount a targeted response against malignant cells. This personalized and adaptive nature of mRNA vaccines holds immense potential for addressing the heterogeneity of cancer and tailoring treatments to individual patients. Recent breakthroughs in the development of mRNA vaccines, exemplified by the success of COVID-19 vaccines, have accelerated their application in oncology. The mRNA platform's versatility allows for the rapid adaptation of vaccine candidates to various cancer types, presenting an agile and promising avenue for therapeutic intervention. Clinical trials of mRNA cancer vaccines have demonstrated encouraging results in terms of safety, immunogenicity, and efficacy. Pioneering candidates, such as BioNTech's BNT111 and Moderna's mRNA-4157, have exhibited promising outcomes in targeting melanoma and solid tumors, respectively. These successes underscore the potential of mRNA vaccines to elicit robust and durable anti-cancer immune responses. While the field holds great promise, challenges such as manufacturing complexities and cost considerations need to be addressed for widespread adoption. The development of scalable and cost-effective manufacturing processes, along with ongoing clinical research, will be pivotal in realizing the full potential of mRNA cancer vaccines. Overall, mRNA cancer vaccines represent a cutting-edge therapeutic approach that holds the promise of transforming cancer treatment. As research progresses, addressing challenges and refining manufacturing processes will be crucial in advancing these vaccines from clinical trials to mainstream oncology practice, offering new hope for patients in the fight against cancer.

Nerve Growth Factor and the Role of Inflammation in Tumor Development

Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a dual role both in inflammatory states and cancer, acting both as a pro-inflammatory and oncogenic factor and as an anti-inflammatory and pro-apoptotic mediator in a context-dependent way based on the signaling networks and its interaction with diverse cellular components within the microenvironment. This report aims to provide a summary and subsequent review of the literature on the role of NGF in regulating the inflammatory microenvironment and tumor cell growth, survival, and death. The role of NGF in inflammation and tumorigenesis as a component of the inflammatory system, its interaction with the various components of the respective microenvironments, its ability to cause epigenetic changes, and its role in the treatment of cancer have been highlighted in this paper.