We at the SDC have nothing but admiration for the medical and scientific communities.

Despite the numerous challenges they have faced these past few years due to the pandemic, researchers are still making leaps and bounds in developing treatments for some of the most dangerous diseases — one of which may prove to be a game-changer for specific cancer patients.

Researchers at Biotech company Moderna are making breakthroughs regarding the effectiveness of a revolutionary new melanoma vaccine.

Melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer. It develops in the cells (melanocytes) that make melanin, the pigment that gives your skin its colour.

While this condition is usually curable when detected early, it gets more challenging to treat and can even be fatal once it has spread deeper into the skin or other parts of the body.

Additionally, melanoma is the most lethal form of skin cancer in Australia, with 17,000 new cases and just over 1,000 fatalities anticipated this year.

Melanoma is the most fatal type of skin cancer and was the leading cause of skin cancer-related deaths in Australia. Credit: Shutterstock.

An early trial showed the combination of the personalised vaccine and immunotherapy drug, Keytruda, reduces the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by a massive 44 per cent.

The exciting thing about the vaccine is that it uses the same mRNA technology found in various COVID vaccines. This means this development will not just help save lives lost to cancer, but it could also help us tackle other life-threatening conditions more efficiently in the future.

The results of the trial are so promising that Professor Georgina Long of the Melanoma Institute of Australia called it the 'penicillin moment' — referencing how the discovery of penicillin led to the invention of a new batch of treatments for various diseases.

'It is possible to see that (patients) may have cancer as a long-term disease rather than a death sentence,' she said.

Patient Pam Morey had a melanoma removed from her nose 16 years ago, followed by the removal of three secondary tumours from her legs and arms which had appeared in the following years because cancer cells can remain in the body and lead to recurrence later on.

Doctors warned her that melanoma could eventually form in her lungs or her brain, making her future quality of life very poor. So, when given the opportunity to join the Moderna test group, she grabbed it with both hands.

Two years later, Ms Morey is still cancer-free, and able to live her life to the fullest and make plans for the future.

'I want to live to 100,' she said, declaring that it has been her goal to live long despite the threats she received from her condition.

So, how does the vaccine work?

Simply put, it's combining a personalised vaccine with immunotherapy, which targets and kills cancerous cells.

What makes it so effective is that it’s tailored to each patient’s unique mutations, thanks to the use of genetic sequencing. This helps the patient’s immune system recognise and then destroy the cancer cells.

What’s even more impressive is how quickly it has all progressed. The original Phase II clinical trial involved 157 patients with stage three or stage four melanoma and has paved the way for larger studies to explore the potential of the vaccine for other types of cancer, as well as other diseases.

News of the vaccine made it to Reddit, where several Aussies shared their thoughts and hopes about the potential cure.

One user said that the cancer that took their dad’s life should now be completely treatable thanks to the researchers studying targeted therapy for cancer patients.

'Cancer that killed my dad is now completely treatable. It's nice to see targeted therapies with few side effects: chemo and radiotherapy are blunt instruments which themselves cause a lot of problems,' they wrote.

Others said that the breakthrough research has given them comfort as they are vulnerable to the disease.

One person said in relief: 'I am a person of Irish heritage who works outside, often in the tropics. I wage a constant battle against the sun. This is very good news.'

'This was quite comforting to come across in my news scroll, especially as I have an upcoming doctor appointment for a skin check,' another shared.

A third chimed in: 'Excited to hear the mRNA tech is being used and interesting to hear it can be personalised to treat your specific cancer's mutation.'

Key Takeaways

• Moderna's melanoma vaccine is an exciting breakthrough in cancer treatment, as it has been shown to reduce the risk of melanoma recurrence or death by 44 per cent.
• The vaccine uses mRNA technology, which has been used to create various COVID vaccines.
• This means that the same technology could potentially be used to treat other life-threatening conditions in the future.
• People with skin cancer, as well as people who work outside in the sun and hence are at risk of melanoma, are hopeful that the vaccine will bring more effective and less invasive treatments for cancer patients.

We can all appreciate the sentiment in these posts, especially with cancer being such a huge issue in Australia and around the world.

More clinical trials are needed before the vaccine can be released, but we couldn't be more hopeful for the potential of this incredible life-saving treatment!

Here at the SDC, we can't wait to see what other scientific and medical advancements can do to help us in our fight against cancer and other life-threatening diseases!

What are your thoughts on this? Are you also hopeful that these findings could serve as a stepping stone for the discovery of more treatments?

 

[Tata]

There's not a single word in this article about the huge side effects from this treatment including death. And 44% reduction is relative, not absolute reduction.