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Scientists are working on a vaccine for cancer. Here’s how it would work

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by Alix Martichoux - 04/05/26 11:00 AM ET

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by Alix Martichoux - 04/05/26 11:00 AM ET

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(NEXSTAR) – An advance in vaccine technology is showing promise toward fighting the second-most common cause of death in the United States, cancer.

Scientists are working on developing mRNA vaccines that would work to fight cancer once it’s detected, said Andrew Pekosz, professor and vice chair at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, in a recent briefing.

From a technological sense, they would work similar to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that were developed to fight COVID-19. These vaccines would be considered “therapeutic vaccines” rather than preventative ones, he explained.

“So once you develops the cancer, you can then design a vaccine that targets some of the unique proteins and other things that the cancer cells are showing to your body, and therefore your immune system can get ramped up and target those very specific cancer antigens that the cells are showing.”

While some cancers have common antigens, mRNA technology could make personalized vaccines a reality. A physician could take a sample from a patient’s cancer cells and design a vaccine that targets their specific cancer.

“The speed in which you can make them is really unparalleled,” Pekosz said.

The vaccines are in early development, but are incredibly promising Pekosz said.

“I think the future there is really bright,” agreed Gigi Gronvall, an immunologist and professor at Johns Hopkins.

Gronvall reminded the audience there are currently two vaccines that do work to prevent cancer: the hepatitis B vaccine given to babies and the HPV vaccine for preteens and teenagers. “There is every reason to think that mRNA will be used as a platform to prevent both of those cancers and possibly others.”

Another promising advance in the fight against cancer is being studied at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, reports Nexstar’s KXAN. Researchers there at working on a chemotherapy drug that tricks the body into fighting cancer like it fights off a virus.

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