Covid vaccine could be used to fight lung or skin cancer

New research indicates that Covid mRNA vaccines may significantly extend the lives of patients with advanced lung or skin cancer when given around the start of immunotherapy. The analysis of 1,000 patients’ records found that those who received an mRNA jab within 100 days of starting immunotherapy saw a near doubling of median survival for lung cancer and an increase for metastatic melanoma. Researchers from the University of Florida and MD Anderson Cancer Center suggest the vaccine acts as a “flare”, mobilising immune cells to more effectively target cancer. This discovery is hailed as a “significant step” towards creating a universal, off-the-shelf cancer vaccine, potentially transforming oncologic treatment. These findings are preliminary, but a randomised clinical trial is now being designed to validate the results, with scientists stressing the importance of further confirmatory work.

New research indicates that Covid mRNA vaccines may significantly extend the lives of patients with advanced lung or skin cancer when given around the start of immunotherapy.

The analysis of 1,000 patients’ records found that those who received an mRNA jab within 100 days of starting immunotherapy saw a near doubling of median survival for lung cancer and an increase for metastatic melanoma.

Researchers from the University of Florida and MD Anderson Cancer Center suggest the vaccine acts as a “flare”, mobilising immune cells to more effectively target cancer.

This discovery is hailed as a “significant step” towards creating a universal, off-the-shelf cancer vaccine, potentially transforming oncologic treatment.

These findings are preliminary, but a randomised clinical trial is now being designed to validate the results, with scientists stressing the importance of further confirmatory work.