This video is part of the Cancer Research Institute’s series “Immunotherapy: 5 Ways to Stop Cancer.” For more information on treating cancer with immunotherapy, visit http://www.cancerresearch.org.
Vaccines to prevent diseases like measles or chicken pox are commonplace. Scientists are now using similar principles to develop vaccines to prevent, and sometimes treat, cancer. Cancer prevention vaccines include the hepatitis B vaccine, which prevents liver cancer, and the HPV vaccine Gardasil, which prevents cervical and ano-genital cancers. One therapeutic cancer vaccine, Provenge, has been approved for the treatment of prostate cancer. Clinical trials for vaccines for other cancer types are ongoing.
Vaccines to prevent diseases like measles or chicken pox are commonplace. Scientists are now using similar principles to develop vaccines to prevent, and sometimes treat, cancer. Cancer prevention vaccines include the hepatitis B vaccine, which prevents liver cancer, and the HPV vaccine Gardasil, which prevents cervical and ano-genital cancers. One therapeutic cancer vaccine, Provenge, has been approved for the treatment of prostate cancer. Clinical trials for vaccines for other cancer types are ongoing.