• News
  • Film and TV
  • Music
  • Tech
  • Features
  • Celebrity
  • Politics
  • Weird
  • Community
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • LADbible
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
TikTok
YouTube
Submit Your Content
Scientists creating 'cancer vaccine' that could potentially stop the disease '20 years early'

Home> News> Health

Published 15:26 27 Jan 2025 GMT

Scientists creating 'cancer vaccine' that could potentially stop the disease '20 years early'

It would be a medical breakthrough

Liv Bridge

Liv Bridge

Scientists are on the verge of making a medical breakthrough with a new 'cancer vaccine' that could stop the disease in its tracks 20 years early.

In the United States, cancer continues to devastate hundreds of thousands of families every single year.

According to the National Cancer Institute, more than two million new cases of cancer were diagnosed in the US last year, with 611,720 people dying from the disease.

Advert

Thousands of families are devastated by cancer every year in the US (Getty Images)
Thousands of families are devastated by cancer every year in the US (Getty Images)

The most common cancers are breast cancer, prostate cancer, lung and bronchus cancer, colon and rectum cancer, melanoma, bladder cancer, kidney and renal pelvis cancer, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, endometrial cancer, pancreatic cancer, leukemia, thyroid cancer, and liver cancer, the institute warns.

However, there could be a breakthrough on the horizon, as scientists from the University of Oxford, UK, inch nearer to creating a vaccine to prevent the disease.

Researchers have revealed they have plans to 'detect the undetectable' by pinpointing the changes cells make two decades before cancer begins to develop, reports The Mirror.

Advert

Cancer could be prevented with the vaccine some 20 years before it takes a hold (Getty Images)
Cancer could be prevented with the vaccine some 20 years before it takes a hold (Getty Images)

Speaking to BBC Radio 4's Today programme, professor Sarah Blagden, who is co-leading the project with pharmaceutical company, GSK, explained the team will study 'pre-cancer biology'.

She said: "Cancer does not sort of come from nowhere.

"You always imagine it would take about a year or two years to develop in your body but, in fact, we now know that cancers can take up to 20 years, sometimes even more, to develop - as a normal cell transitions to become cancerous.

Advert

"We know that, actually at that point, most cancers are invisible when they are going through this, what we now call pre-cancer stage. And so the purpose of the vaccine is not to vaccinate against established cancer, but to actually vaccinate against that pre-cancer stage."

The project comes as part of the GSK-Oxford Cancer Immuno-Prevention Programme while the university has already established itself as a lead in vaccines - most notably the first Covid-19 vaccines - as well as identifying other cancers.

The news comes as there are already a handful of cancer vaccines being developed (Getty Images)
The news comes as there are already a handful of cancer vaccines being developed (Getty Images)

The researchers have already identified tumour-specific proteins which could be stopped by vaccines to prevent cancer from coming back, but the new research looks to possibly vaccinate sufferers before cancer even takes a hold.

Advert

Professor Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of Oxford University, praised the partnership as a 'step forward' in cancer research with high hopes the team will 'unlock the potential of cancer vaccines and bring hope to patients worldwide'.

The news also comes as the researchers say there is already a number of potential preventative cancer vaccines under development from the university, including the 'LynchVax' for people affected by Lynch syndrome (a genetic disorder that increases the risk of developing certain cancers), 'OvarianVax', which 'teaches' the immune system to recognize and attack early stages of ovarian cancer, and 'LungVax' which could prevent or delay the onset of cancer in people at risk of certain types of lung cancer.

Featured Image Credit: Oxford Cancer via YouTube

Topics: Cancer, Health, Science, UK News, World News, US News

Liv Bridge
Liv Bridge

Liv Bridge is a digital journalist who joined the UNILAD team in 2024 after almost three years reporting local news for a Newsquest UK paper, The Oldham Times. She's passionate about health, housing, food and music, especially Oasis...

X

@livbridge

Advert

Advert

Advert

  • Scientists develop vaccine that could wipe out world's deadliest cancer
  • People break down the 5 symptoms you should never ignore that could be a sign of deadly cancer
  • Scientists issue warning for deadly fungus that 'eats you from the inside out' and it could impact millions
  • Eight subtle symptoms that could mean you have rare appendix cancer as cases soar for two age groups

Choose your content:

8 mins ago
23 mins ago
2 hours ago
3 hours ago
  • 8 mins ago

    Trump sparks outrage with terrifying 6-word statement when asked about US strikes on Iran

    Donald Trump certainly hasn't shied away from speaking about the ongoing conflict in the Middle East

    News
  • 23 mins ago

    Shocking new Trump approval ratings show what US really thinks of his involvement in Iran-Israel conflict

    Donald Trump's involvement in the Iran-Israel conflict has led to new opinions on his presidential performance

    News
  • 2 hours ago

    Male escort has disturbing new revelation about Diddy 'freak off' parties after jury is shown footage from incidents

    The Punisher has previously spoken about his encounters with the pair

    News
  • 3 hours ago

    Celebrity chef Anne Burrell's heartbreaking final hours revealed before sudden death aged 55

    The popular chef was found at her home on June 17

    Celebrity