Cancer Vaccine Hopes Clouded by Misinformation
Nearly five years ago, Chase Johnson was cured of breast cancer but not of the profound anxiety that it would return. After being diagnosed in 2021 at age 31 with stage 2B triple-negative breast cancer, she underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Her oncologist warned her that there was a 40% chance the cancer would return.
Johnson enrolled in a clinical trial at the Cleveland Clinic testing a new breast cancer vaccine developed in partnership with Anixa Biosciences. The vaccine has shown positive early results: In nearly three-quarters of the participants, including Johnson, it has generated an immune response. 'It's just so promising and as a patient, it gave me a lot of hope,' said Johnson.
The development of cancer vaccines is on the horizon, with researchers especially excited about mRNA vaccines. Just last month, Moderna and Merck announced that a personalized mRNA cancer vaccine combined with an immunotherapy drug had succeeded in a late-stage trial for skin cancer. However, many doctors and researchers are concerned that vaccine misinformation could blunt the impact of these new vaccines.