One of the most significant technological advancements of the COVID-19 pandemic, mRNA vaccines, is now in the spotlight for its potential to revolutionize the battle against cancers. This technology, which has captivated the world’s attention with COVID-19 vaccines, enables more effective fighting against diseases by educating the immune system. mRNA cancer vaccines provide the body’s immune system with “instructions” to target and eliminate specific cancer types. These vaccines are personalized with biopsies taken from the patient’s cancerous tissue. Following genetic analyses, a treatment tailored to each patient’s cancer is prepared.

WHAT IS AN mRNA VACCINE? WHAT ARE THE DIFFERENCES FROM TRADITIONAL VACCINES? Messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines are an innovative type of vaccine developed to “educate” the body’s immune system about a specific protein. Unlike traditional vaccines, they do not directly provide a piece of a pathogen (such as a protein); instead, they use a messenger RNA (mRNA) molecule that instructs how to produce that protein. mRNA vaccines do not contain live pathogens, hence do not pose an infection risk. Additionally, they remain in the cytoplasm and do not interact with the nucleus, preserving genetic integrity. Since the synthesis process occurs outside the cell, mRNA vaccines can be designed and produced much faster than traditional vaccines. This feature provides a significant advantage, especially in urgent situations like pandemics. Particularly in cancer vaccines, personalized treatment approaches can be developed using specific antigen sequences for each patient.

While research on cancer vaccines is ongoing worldwide, the United Kingdom leads the way in this field. The “Cancer Vaccines Kickstart Platform” initiated in the country ensures the rapid conduct of clinical trials nationally and internationally. In addition, the UK government has made significant investments in cancer treatment by establishing long-term partnerships with companies like BioNTech and Moderna.

Oncologist Lennard Lee, who advises the UK government on mRNA cancer vaccines, stated that there are currently 15 ongoing cancer vaccine trials in the country, with hopes of seeing results by early 2026. Lee, in an interview with Wired, used the phrase “If successful, only five years after the first licensed mRNA vaccine for COVID, we will have invented the first approved personalized mRNA cancer vaccine. That’s quite impressive.”

Hundreds of mRNA cancer vaccine trials are currently ongoing worldwide. The first approved mRNA cancer vaccine is expected to be launched in the next few years. If this technology proves successful, it may not only be the silver lining of the pandemic but also usher in a new era in medicine and cancer treatment.