Ongoing clinical studies, especially of a Russian cancer vaccine utilizing mRNA technology, highlight the vaccine’s capabilities to stimulate the body’s immune system to fight cancer, which raises hopes for most cancer patients struggling to overcome it.
Dr. Mohan Menon, a leading medical oncologist with over 22 years of experience in cancer care, shares his views on mRNA vaccines – are they reality or hype?
After a stint of over 17 years in the USA, Dr Mohan Menon is a leading medical oncologist in Mumbai. He states, “mRNA vaccines have shown their efficacy during the Covid pandemic. Advancement in vaccine research has made it possible to develop even more effective vaccines to treat various types of cancer with improved outcomes.”
Dr. Mohan Menon acknowledges the efforts of William Coley, the father of cancer immunotherapy, in the late 19th century. However, due to inconsistent results, cancer immunotherapy research took a backseat, and chemotherapy and radiation emerged as preferred protocols for treating cancer.
Dr. Menon highlights why it is challenging to develop cancer vaccines rather than developing infectious diseases. He explains that the immune system can quickly identify and attack pathogens, as infectious cells differ significantly from human cells. On the other hand, cancer cells develop from the patient’s tissues and are very similar to normal cells. The cancer cells have unique mutations that can produce neoantigens or tumour-specific proteins.
In this aspect, the mRNA vaccines have the potential to resolve this challenge. The immune system finds it challenging to identify and target the cancer cells. The mRNA vaccines can instruct the body’s cells to produce neoantigens and make them capable of identifying and killing the cancer cells. When injected in the patient, they instruct cellular ribosomes to develop a harmless fragment of the neoantigen and trigger a targeted immune response.
The world has witnessed the practical capabilities of the mRNA vaccine in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, Zika virus, rabies virus, influenza, and other flu variants. The rapidly developed COVID-19 vaccine encourages a targeted immune response to combat the deadly virus and prevent mortality by increasing protein production as an immune response. Adopting mRNA vaccine to treat COVID patients was a game changer as it helped save numerous lives globally.
He believes that customized mRNA vaccines can help oncologists treat cancer with an enhanced targeted approach for the best possible outcomes. With raised hopes for the availability of affordable mRNA vaccines, Dr. Menon will be able to help more people emerge from cancer with a good survival rate.
He has noted many clinical trials of Several mRNA-based cancer vaccines, especially the one developed by Moderna and Merck, which can effectively treat melanoma and, hopefully, non-small cell lung cancer and other cancers.
He hopes that clinical trials of cancer mRNA vaccines will prove that they can treat existing cancers, prevent their recurrence, and arrest the spread of cancer. However, the challenge of tackling immune suppression and tumor heterogeneity.
Dr. Mohan Menon’s expertise in oncology is noteworthy, especially in treating advanced and complex cases of cancer and improving the lives of cancer patients and their family members. He adopts an innovative approach to cancer treatment and management. Along with the extensive diagnosis, including genetic history and tumour characteristics, he suggests precision medicine to combat cancer safely without harming the body.
With customization in every type of cancer treatment, including immunotherapy, precision medicine, chemotherapy and cancer symptom control, he ensures patients experience minimal trauma and side effects during their battle against cancer. He prioritizes patient care, safety, and comfort and ensures that patients resume healthy and everyday living as soon as possible.
Contact Dr. Mohan Menon
Cell Nos: +91 93248 94282 & +91 82914 75556
Email: medicaloncologist@gmail.com
About Dr. Mohan Menon
Dr. Mohan Menon is a consultant medical oncologist practising in Mumbai since 2017. He is associated with Breach Candy Hospital, Sir HN Reliance Foundation Hospital, and Lilavati Hospital. Considered one of the leading oncologists in Mumbai, he has acquired immense experience in cancer treatment in the USA and India. His key specializations include immunotherapy, palliative care, and innovative cancer care strategies within a patient-centric framework.
