A Cancer vaccine? It has been a very long, hard road, but things are finally looking up in this area. The whole question about pathogens (bacteria, viruses, etc.) being involved in cancer remains an ongoing controversy, but most of these vaccines aren't based on that anyway.
"The evidence is that these things have really come to fruition," said Pacific Growth Equities analyst Thomas J. Dietz, who follows several of the cancer vaccine companies. "It's a 'when' issue, not an 'if' issue anymore."
The current crop of vaccines is expected to enhance first-line treatments for cancer, not to replace them. But because most patients experience relatively mild side effects, the vaccines could be widely used to prevent or delay a recurrence.
Significant human trials are just beginning, but as someone who has lost more than a few friends and family to cancer I consider this highly encouraging. This San Jose Mercury article offers lots of interesting background and company information.
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