Promising lung cancer vaccine trial starts in UK

Mr Racz, who works in artificial intelligence, was diagnosed with lung cancer after having some breathing problems that he thought might be asthma.

A medical scan (for an unrelated issue) revealed a tumour on his right lung.

NHS England national cancer director Dame Cally Palmer said shots like this one could be “revolutionary” in vaccinating people against their own cancers to prevent the disease returning.

“A cancer diagnosis is very worrying, but access to groundbreaking trials – alongside other innovations to diagnose and treat cancers earlier – provides hope.

“We expect to see thousands more patients taking part in trials over the next few years,” she said.

The trial will recruit people with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from early-stage before surgery or radiotherapy, to late-stage disease or recurrent cancer – to have the jab alongside standard immunotherapy.

The other UK hospitals taking part include:

There are several other vaccines being used against different types of cancer.

Unlike vaccines to protect us from infectious diseases, such as measles, cancer treatment vaccines are for people who already have the illness.

Cancer vaccines help your body’s immune system recognise and attack cancer cells.

Some, like this latest one, are designed based on common markers that tend to occur only on cancer cells. Others are bespoke or tailor-made for an individual’s specific tumour.

Cancer Research UK’s chief executive, Michelle Mitchell, said: “We’re pleased to see that another cancer vaccine trial has opened in the UK, allowing more patients to access cutting-edge therapies.

“The science that helped us out of the worst of the Covid-19 pandemic continues to show promise as a potential treatment option for patients

“While very early stage, we look forward to seeing how the study progresses.”