Russian Cancer Vaccine Offers Hope for personalized Treatment, but Challenges Remain
Hanoi, Vietnam – September 10, 2025 – A new cancer vaccine developed in Russia is generating excitement among experts, who believe it could represent a significant step forward in cancer treatment, perhaps shifting the disease from a ”death sentance” to a more manageable condition. The vaccine, known as Enteromix, utilizes a patient’s own tumor genetic information to create customized mRNA, training the immune system to precisely target and destroy cancer cells.
Currently,immunotherapy – activating the body’s immune system to fight cancer – relies heavily on checkpoint inhibitors like PD-1 and PD-L1. While these inhibitors can produce lasting responses in some patients with diseases like melanoma and lung cancer,Dr. Duy Anh notes thay are “very expensive,” have a relatively low response rate of only 20-30%, and carry the risk of autoimmune side effects affecting multiple organs.
The Enteromix vaccine aims to overcome these limitations through its highly personalized approach. “The mechanism of this vaccine is to use the genetic information of the tumor itself to design specialized mRNA,thus training the immune system to recognize and attack with precision cancer cells,” explained Dr. Duy Anh.
Experts anticipate several advantages, including high customization, reduced toxicity compared to traditional treatments like chemotherapy and radiotherapy, and the potential for coordinated immunity to enhance effectiveness. The vaccine is administered via a simple intramuscular injection, making it a less invasive option. Ultimately, the goal is to move towards a personalized treatment plan tailored to each patient’s unique genetic profile.
Though, Dr. Duy Anh cautioned that significant hurdles remain. The technology is complex, production is costly and time-consuming – requiring a unique vaccine for each patient – and it’s not suitable for urgent treatment scenarios.”The biggest challenges are still cost and accessibility,” Dr. Duy Anh emphasized. “To prevent it from becoming a ’luxury dream’, it is necessary to accompany it with payment policies, test infrastructure, production and a road map that includes guidelines based on standards of scientific evidence.”
The progress highlights the growing field of personalized cancer vaccines, offering a potential future where treatment is tailored to the individual, maximizing effectiveness and minimizing side effects. Further investment in infrastructure, research, and evidence-based guidelines will be crucial to realizing this potential and making this innovative treatment accessible to a wider population.
(Source: https://dantri.com.vn/suc-khoe/chuyen-gia-ky-vong-vaccine-ung-thu-cua-nga-xoa-an-tu-them-co-hoi-song-20250910024019819.htm)
