Clinical Trials for a Pancreatic Cancer Vaccine Are Underway

Pancreatic cancer is a strong enemy to Black health, and it often comes with a dismal prognosis. However, a new wave of optimism is surging with the exploration of innovative vaccine therapies. These clinical trials are promising for the future of pancreatic cancer treatment, offering a potential path toward a more effective approach to ending the disease. Scientists at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center are testing a special kind of vaccine made with messenger RNA, or mRNA (similar to the technology used in COVID-19 vaccines). This vaccine is designed to help your body fight pancreatic cancer cells after surgery. This study followed patients who received this vaccine for 3 years, and in some patients the vaccine boosted cancer cell immunity for up to three years. The patients who responded well to the vaccine had a lower risk of their cancer coming back. The difference between this vaccine and traditional vaccines is that this one is designed to help your body fight cancer cells that are already there, after surgery. It is also personalized for each patient, based on their specific tumor. Why Black Participation in Clincial Trials is Crucial Pancreatic cancer disproportionately affects the Black community. Black Americans are diagnosed...