DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2013.v01i03.006

Pages: 161-171

Abstract: Cancer is an uncontrolled growth of cells that invade surrounding tissue replacing native cells resulting in disease and finally death. Mutation in genes that encode cell cycle proteins causes cancer. Development of cancer vaccine is the need of the century. Research in molecular biology and immunology has resulted in the development of a range of recombinant vaccines viz., antigen, tumor cell, anti-idiotype antibody-based, dendritic cell-, DNA-, and viral-vector based- vaccines. Success of cancer vaccine appears to be limited. Targeted vaccines become ineffective as the target mutates. Genetically engineered vaccines may prove to be ineffective as neutralizing antibodies may be produced. Adjuvants used for poorly immunogenic vaccines may prove to be toxic. Thus, the development of effective cancer vaccines require continued efforts, thoughtful clinical trials, and scientific progress which might induce long-term specific anticancer response with immune memory cells, and could contribute to effective and lasting elimination of malignant cells.