It has been in clinical trials and use for the last few years in melanoma cases, using viruses to create a sort of cancer vaccine for those suffering (Nci, et al 2019). The goal of this treatment is to remove the DNA found in the virus itself and replace it with the cancerous gene of the patient, injecting that back into the body. The overall hope of this treatment is to have the body’s own immune system (which is the first defense against cancer) recognize the malignant cells as dangerous and eliminate them (Nci, et al 2019).
Cancer cells over time have adapted to evade the immune system through a complicated balance of protein expression. Normal, healthy cells express a protein on the cell surface that equates to a green flag, saying to the immune cells that it is okay and functioning properly. Cells balance these green flags with red ones that signify there is something wrong inside of them. If a cancerous cell gives off enough signals that it is okay, then it will not be killed by the immune system but the goal of the vaccine is to keep this from happening by giving the immune cells the go ahead for the specified protein order (Nci, et al 2019).
To me, this treatment might be one of the ways to help my mother in the future, who has been suffering from cancer on and off for the last four years. If the vaccine functions properly, it will help those patients with harder to reach cancers, such as on/in the bones and organs hopefully heal themselves.
Reference:
Nci, et al. “Oncolytic Virus Kills Tumor Cells and Supports Immune Cells.” National Cancer Institute, 15 Oct. 2019, https://www.cancer.gov/news-events/cancer-currents-blog/2019/oncolytic-virus-improves-immune-cell-metabolism.
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