SScientists at the University of Oxford have just secured funding to develop the world’s first vaccine against ovarian cancer, a deadly disease that affects thousands of people every year.
The vaccine, called OvarianVax, will target two major DNA mutations that increase the risk of ovarian cancer: the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. Both are commonly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, but they have also been linked to ovarian cancer. In fact, the lifetime risk of developing ovarian cancer in the general population is about 1 percent, but people with BRCA mutations have a lifetime risk of developing the disease as high as 46 percent, according to Johns Hopkins University Medical Center.
This vaccine could be a major medical breakthrough in preventing the disease. Although ovarian cancer is rare, it is often underdiagnosed, misdiagnosed, and extremely difficult to treat once it progresses. (About 60 percent of ovarian cancer cases are diagnosed in the late stages of the disease, according to the University of Oxford.) This is largely because symptoms can be vague and similar to other benign health conditions, such as bloating, loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal question. Additionally, there are no routine screening tests for ovarian cancer like there are for cervical or breast cancer, according to MD Anderson Cancer Center.
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Here’s what you need to know so far about ovarian cancer vaccine development and how it differs from other types of cancer prevention vaccines, such as Gardisil.
How does the ovarian cancer vaccine work?
The vaccine will be developed by observing the way the immune system recognizes ovarian cancer cells. Researchers will collect ovarian cancer samples from donors with the disease and examine them for common mutations that cause “abnormal proteins” that the immune system normally recognizes. Researchers hope to use this information to create a vaccine that triggers the immune system to detect these “abnormal proteins,” according to a recent press release from the University of Oxford.
“Teaching the immune system to recognize the early signs of cancer has been a difficult challenge. But we now have highly sophisticated tools that allow us to truly understand how the immune system recognizes ovarian cancer,” said lead scientist Ahmed Ahmed. said the professor.
If successful, OvarianVax could become a preventive vaccine that trains the human immune system to attack abnormal ovarian cells as they arise.
How is this different from other cancer prevention vaccines like Gardisil?
Another common vaccine to prevent cancer is called Gardisil. A course of three doses is recommended for most people ages 15 to 26, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But how does this differ from the proposed OvarianVax?
Gardisil protects against strains of human papillomavirus (HPV), which may cause cervical vertebra OvarianVax will protect and fight the accumulation of faulty DNA in cells that can lead to cancer ovary cancer, according to a press release from the University of Oxford. Both work with your immune system, but the former fights viruses, while the latter fights mutated cells. Of course, the two vaccines target two different types of reproductive cancers.
We don’t know if OvarianVax will become a recommended preventive vaccine like Gardisil.
When will OvarianVax be available?
Because OvarianVax is still in its initial research stages, it could be several years before it’s available to the public. The vaccine must go through multiple clinical trials before it can be considered safe and effective. But we’ll be keeping a close eye on the latest developments on this incredible breakthrough, which could help save many people at increased risk of this disease.
If you know you have a BRCA gene mutation or are experiencing symptoms such as bloating, pelvic pain, loss of appetite, gastrointestinal problems, and unexplained weight loss, make an appointment with your OB-GYN to get examined and screened for any Potential cancer.
