There may be good news in the near future, however, for those who are at high risk for developing the disease. The National Cancer Institute and The Nathan S. Arenson Fund for Pancreatic Research have sponsored research towards the development of a vaccine that will prevent colon cancer – the Pitt Colon Cancer Vaccine. As of last week, researchers from the University Of Pittsburgh School Of Medicine have begun testing the vaccine on a dozen patients with late-stage colon cancer and pancreatic cancer.
The Pitt vaccine uses a slightly different mechanism from that of other existing anti-cancer vaccines, which mainly work by protecting the body from infection by viruses linked to cancer. While Gardasil protects against the human papilloma virus which causes cervical cancer and the hepaptitis B vaccine protects against liver cancer, the Pitt vaccine triggers an immune response against the MUC1 protein. This self-made protein is modified and produced in larger amounts in advanced adenomas and cancer.
The action is meant to enable the immune system to attack abnormal cells. Hopefully, this will not only prevent a polyp’s progression to cancer, but prevent its recurrence altogether.
If proven, the vaccine will not only be able to save high-risk patients from undergoing colonoscopy but will also be able to offer them long-time protection from the disease.
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