Scientists inch closer to skin cancer cure

The new vaccine called “OncoVEX” is said to kill the malignant tumors without causing any damage to the healthy cells. It is also said to carry immune agents which enhances body’s response to melanoma.

The scientists are hopeful that the vaccine would help in treating even the advanced stages of melanoma and save thousands of lives a year.

Details of the study
To test the efficacy of the vaccine, researchers at the Chicago's Rush University Medical Centre carried out a trial on 50 patients with advanced melanoma who had been given six to nine months to live.

Findings of the study revealed that 16 percent of those who received the vaccine were fully recovered from the condition and have been disease free for more than four years now.

Further, it was found that 28 percent of the other patients reported almost 50 percent reduction in their tumor size.

The researchers noted that the vaccine initiated an immune response that reached the tumor growth even in the distant sites and thus helped in marring the tumor growth.

Dr Howard Kaufman, of Chicago's Rush University Medical Centre, was quoted by the Telegraph as saying, "Our study shows we may have a cure for some advanced melanoma patients and a drug which has real benefits for others. This will save thousands of lives a year."

“What surprised us was that the jab did not have an effect just on the cells we injected but on growths in other parts of the body that we couldn’t reach. In other words, the vaccine prompted an immune response that was circulated through the blood-stream to distant sites,” Kaufman added.

BioVex, Woburn based company which has designed the vaccine, is now recruiting more than 400 patients for the final phases of its trial.

It is speculated that once the results of the vaccine are confirmed in larger trials, it will be ready for commercial use within five years.

Melanoma and symptoms
Melanoma is the most serious type of skin cancer which starts in skin cells called melanocytes and can spread throughout the body, according to WebMD.

Intense sun exposure, a family history of melanoma, numerous moles on the skin, certain gene changes etc. are the probable causes which could trigger the condition.

The most important warning sign for melanoma is any change in size, shape, or color of a mole or other skin growth, such as a birthmark.