Dr. Disis Leads Review Article in JAMA on the Momentum Behind Cancer Vaccine Research
The Cancer Vaccine Institute (CVI) is proud to share a review article published today in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) that highlights how far the field of cancer vaccines has come and why it’s at a true tipping point. Decades of research have brought us to a moment where the essential pieces are finally in place: hundreds of tumor antigens identified, a clear understanding of the immune responses needed for cancer eradication, safe and effective vaccine delivery technologies, and better ways to match vaccine strategies to the right patients.
The review, led by Dr. Nora Disis, CVI Founder and Director, along with CVI Drs. Brie Chun, Kiran Dhillon, John Liao, Natasha Hunter, and Denise Cecil, walks through the science behind modern cancer vaccines: how they work, why adaptive immunity matters, and what we’ve learned from both successful and unsuccessful trials. It also highlights a major shift underway in the field: vaccines are increasingly being studied earlier in the cancer process, with the goal of preventing recurrence or even preventing cancer altogether.
While challenges remain, such as improving immunogenicity, refining vaccine design, and identifying markers that predict who will benefit, the momentum is unmistakable. Cancer vaccine trials now exist for nearly every human malignancy, and the technologies powering them are more precise and more adaptable than ever.
For our team at CVI, this publication reflects years of translational work and a shared commitment to pushing the field forward. We’re proud to contribute to a growing body of evidence showing that stimulating tumor‑specific adaptive immunity can meaningfully change outcomes, and that the future of cancer vaccines is bright.
Read the publication here:
Listen to JAMA’s podcast here: https://edhub.ama-assn.org/jn-learning/audio-player/19094253
Photo Credit: Lisa Stromme Warren
