The effective use of neoepitope-based vaccines in personalized cancer immunotherapy

Abstract

In an era where modern medicine has increased the duration and quality of life, cancer remains one of the world’s leading causes of death [1]. As cancer is characterized by random and somatic mutations within each tumour’s specific genome, personalized immunotherapies have become increasingly popular as potential courses of treatment [2-6]. Notably, therapeutic neoepitope-based vaccines have been shown to elicit potent, T-cell-mediated antitumour activity in numerous clinical and preclinical models. As an immunotherapy, neoepitope vaccination harnesses the immune system’s specificity to target tumour-specific markers present on cancer cells [2]. Thus, neoepitope vaccines represent a new frontier in personalized cancer treatment [2]. Although challenges remain in the development and administration of neoepitope vaccines, the technology shows incredible promise and merits further research. The following viewpoint will explore the efficacy of this emerging immunotherapy, support the case for its integration into modern healthcare, and identify areas that require further exploration.