The field is young, but predicting antigens produced by patients’ malignant cells could yield successful treatments for individuals with a range of cancer types.

There are currently more than two dozen ongoing Phase 1 and Phase 2 trials using different vaccine platforms such as DNA, RNA, synthetic long peptides, and dendritic cells.

The treatment also curbed the growth of nearby metastases that did not receive the drug.

In two early trials, vaccines tailored to the mutations in individuals’ cancers appeared to protect 12 of 19 patients against relapse. 

Using biocompatible polymers to carry cancer immune therapies directly to the tumor