The world’s first lung cancer vaccine is being developed by British scientists. The DNA strand that will be used to teach the immune system to look for and eliminate red flag proteins—proteins that show up on lung cancer cells and may contain mutations that could lead to cancer—will be the means by which it functions.
Scientists from the University of Oxford, the Francis Crick Institute, and University College London (UCL) are working on developing the vaccine, according to Sky News. According to the outlet’s allegation, the vaccine known as LungVax will resemble the Oxford-AstraZeneca Covid vaccination.
The group plans to produce three thousand doses of the vaccine, which recognises and eliminates the red flag proteins, also referred to as neoantigens.
Approximately 50,000 cases and 35,000 deaths of lung cancer occur in Britain each year, making it the most deadly common cancer.
Smoking is a factor in seven out of ten cases.
Individuals between the ages of 55 and 74 who smoke or have smoked in the past are considered high-risk.
‘Less than 10 per cent of lung cancer patients live with their illness for ten years or more. That needs to change’, according to Professor Mariam Jamal-Hanjani of UCL and the Francis Crick Institute, who will oversee the LungVax clinical trial.
“This research complements existing efforts through lung health checks to detect lung cancer earlier in people who are at greatest risk,” she stated.
The researcher added that it has the potential to cover 90 per cent of lung cancers.
“LungVax will not replace stopping smoking as the best way to reduce your risk of lung cancer,” said Professor Mariam.
The American Cancer Society states that lung cancer develops when lung cells proliferate uncontrollably. These are two sponge-like organs in your chest that are separated into sections called lobes.
Among the top causes of death globally is lung cancer.
(With inputs from agencies)
