Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-12-2014

Abstract

In lieu of an abstract, here are the article's first two paragraphs:

Recent cancer statistics review by Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) Program by National Cancer Institute (NCI) shows that cancer is the second most leading cause of death after heart diseases. Cancer incidence has grown from 19.2% to 23.3% from 1975 to 2010 (Figure 1)[1]. Lung cancer remains to be the most fatal form of cancer followed by colorectal, breast and prostate cancer in the country (Table 1)[1]. Regardless of several treatment options, cancer remains to be a unique challenge for both patients and the healthcare providers. Several treatment options are available to address this disease now. Chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy are still the mainline of treatment plan for cancer patients. Along with these therapies, immunotherapy is being explored as a combination therapy. Immunotherapy allows utilization of patient’s own immune system to combat the disease and⁄or assist in avoiding a relapse.

Cancer research and clinical trials are one of the most challenging ones attributed to the nature of the disease state. This editorial is devoted to those, who have dedicated their careers to develop various immunotherapeutic approaches leading to the evolution of cancer vaccines, providing a ray of hope to cancer patients. These cancer vaccines are targeted to boost the immune response of the host further protecting them from the challenges posed by cancerous cells. Unlike vaccines for infectious diseases, a cancer vaccine is targeted against host’s own cells. Thus, identification and isolation of such cancer antigens is not only difficult but also unique for the patient at times.

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Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

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