Here is the rewritten content:
The mRNA revolution continues. Just a few years after mRNA vaccines proved their efficacy against COVID-19, scientists are now turning their attention to lung cancer.
The mRNA vaccine, known as BTN116, developed by the German biotechnology company BioNTech, is the first of its kind and has entered phase 1 clinical trials in seven countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom. This vaccine is designed to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), the most common form of the disease.
“Lung cancer is the biggest killer worldwide. And using the mRNA technology, this is just a first generation,” said medical oncologist Siow Ming Lee, a consultant medical oncologist at University College London Hospitals (UCHL) Clinical Research Facility, which is leading the trial in the U.K.
“But hopefully, it’s a beginning, and it can lead to a better outcome for lung cancer patients worldwide, not only the U.K. but other places like Canada, America and China,” he told Global News.
The vaccine works by identifying and targeting cancer cells, Lee said, and is designed to complement other lung cancer treatments, such as chemotherapy and immunotherapy.
Phase 1 clinical trials have been launched across 34 research sites in seven countries: the U.K., the U.S., Germany, Hungary, Poland, Spain and Turkey. In the U.S., three locations are currently recruiting patients, accepting people at both early and late stages of the disease.
“It’s very exciting. When we look back less than four years ago with the mRNA COVID vaccine, people had doubts and there was uncertainty, but it definitely works,” Lee said. “I think people need to remember the COVID-19 vaccine worked for cancer patients. It reduced mortality more than the general population.”
In Canada, lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths. According to Lung Cancer Canada, more than 20,000 Canadians will die from lung cancer this year — more than the combined deaths from breast, prostate and colon cancers.
The disease is also the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide, with 1.8 million fatalities in 2020, accounting for the highest mortality rates among both men and women.
An injection of a BioNTech mRNA cancer immunotherapy for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) – known as BNT116 – at the University College London Hospital clinical research facility in central London, as part of the first clinical trial for the lung cancer immunotherapy in the UK.
Aaron Chown/PA Images via Getty Images
Although treatments like chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery and radiation are available, lung cancer is often diagnosed at advanced stages, leaving fewer treatment options, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
But the mRNA technology could represent the next major advancement in cancer treatment by training the immune system to target and fight lung cancer cells, Lee said.
The development of the lung cancer vaccine began four years ago, following the successful creation of the COVID-19 mRNA vaccine by BioNTech-Pfizer and Moderna, Lee explained.
Not only did the mRNA COVID-19 vaccine prove safe and effective in protecting against the virus, but the scientific community also observed a reduction in mortality rates among cancer patients, he said.
Although mRNA technology has been in development for decades, it gained prominence with the success of COVID-19 vaccines, proving its effectiveness in combating viruses.
The technology works by using messenger RNA to deliver instructions to the body to produce proteins that prepare the immune system to target specific viruses. This same principle can be applied to harness the immune system against tumours.
Trending Now
• Liberals face storm clouds as cabinet meets in Halifax
• Taliban bans women’s voices, bare faces from public in new restrictive laws
Conclusions
The mRNA vaccine has shown great promise in the fight against COVID-19, and it is now being explored as a potential treatment for lung cancer. The vaccine has already entered phase 1 clinical trials, and it is expected to move into phase 2 in 2025.
Q: What is the mRNA vaccine and how does it work?
A: The mRNA vaccine is a type of vaccine that uses messenger RNA to deliver instructions to the body to produce proteins that prepare the immune system to target specific viruses. In the case of lung cancer, the vaccine is designed to target a specific protein found on the surface of cancer cells.
Q: What are the benefits of the mRNA vaccine?
A: The mRNA vaccine has shown great promise in the fight against COVID-19, and it is expected to be a game-changer in the fight against lung cancer. It is a safe and effective way to train the immune system to target and fight cancer cells.
Q: What are the side effects of the mRNA vaccine?
A: The mRNA vaccine is generally considered safe, but like any vaccine, it can cause side effects. These side effects are typically mild and temporary, and they usually resolve on their own.
Q: Will the mRNA vaccine be available soon?
A: The mRNA vaccine has already entered phase 1 clinical trials, and it is expected to move into phase 2 in 2025. It will likely take several years before the vaccine is approved and available to the public.