Cancer Vaccines

Engaging the Cancer Fight

Engaging the cancer fight is not a simple process as it involves genetic, biological, metabolic and biochemical controls. Traditional therapies offer little hope in eradicating cancer, thereby, requiring a more specific defense. Cancer cells are cells that have acquired a “bad” DNA message. The DNA damaged cells mutate and produce offspring that are more aggressive and invasive. The immune system is designed to detect foreign invaders and defend against them. However, one of the complications in cancer is that the cells that have acquired a “bad” DNA message and have been damaged are not easily recognized and evaded by the immune system. These wayward destructive cells then become tolerated by the immune system and have freedom to go anywhere they wish.

The Two Important Platforms of Cancer Research

It becomes necessary to engage defense on two main platforms. The first is detection of cells with the “bad” DNA message and second recruiting all of the active defense cells and the necessary immune mechanisms that initiate eradication of the cell with the “bad” (cancer cell) message. DNA is the genetic matrix material of every living cell. DNA is known as the “double helix” and replicates in a uniform regulated fashion. When DNA is damaged it becomes overexpressed and the checkpoints in replication are altered causing the continuous replication of single-strand DNA. This damage to DNA is caused by mutations, which impairs the cells normal signaling balance. DNA then continues to replicate in the nucleus of the harmed cell and impairs every function of the cell. Additionally, the harmed cell’s life and replication cycles are overexpressed and each offspring produced from the original harmed cell can express the same mutation as well as additional mutations making it virtually impossible to respond to one type of treatment approach. Therefore, it becomes essential to re-think the development of cancer treatment making it necessary to address different cancer types with their set mutations specifically.

As noted above DNA damage detection and discovery of repair mechanisms are of primary importance. When DNA replication and regulatory communication checkpoints are distorted or impaired there are numerous specific proteins altered. Research and discovery of these regulatory proteins of DNA is vital importance. The figures below demonstrate DNA damage and its consequences on cell health and development.