Why Are We So Interested in the Supposedly Effective Cuban Cancer Vaccine?

Almost every 6 months, Cuba's cancer vaccine makes headlines, and we leave our work to investigate, "has a new study appeared?" This time, the investigation took only a few hours, because there is no new study or scientific evidence! The novelty is this: the language of news reports has changed, and the matter has become a full-fledged "Cuban Health Tourism" business.

Cuban Cancer Vaccines Continue NOT to Treat Cancers

The latest study on the Cuban cancer vaccine was published in January 2018 and conducted in Cuba. Its results show that CIMAvax-EGF (antigen vaccine) or VAXIRA (anti-idiotype) vaccines, compared with existing treatments (chemotherapy, targeted drugs, advanced radiotherapy and, much more recently, immunotherapy), are about as effective as putting cologne on a rotten tooth: the best reported median survival still does not exceed 11 months.

What are the mechanisms of CIMAvax-EGF and VAXIRA?

1. CIMAvax is an antigen vaccine. Antigen vaccines use particular proteins or protein fragments on cancer cell surfaces to activate the immune system. Cancer antigens are mixed with molecules helping the vaccine work better, called adjuvants. These help the body recognize cells as foreign and generate an immune response. Cytokines (interleukin 2) are examples.

The most commonly used Cuban vaccine, CimaVax-EGF , belongs to this class. The EGF molecule (antigen) is enriched with adjuvants and injected into the patient. The aim is an immune response through antigen-presenting cells and antibody-producing B cells . EGF binds to its own receptor, particularly abundant on certain cancer cell surfaces (EGFR). Antibodies triggered by vaccination are intended to bind EGF and prevent the EGFR receptor from signaling cancer cells to grow and proliferate.

Some antigen vaccines generate immunity against only a specific cancer type. Recent research focuses on faster antigen recognition by the immune system and combining multiple antigens in one vaccine.

2. VAXIRA is an anti-idiotype antibody vaccine. Anti-idiotype antibody vaccines consist of antibodies made to imitate a particular antigen. Some cancer-specific cell-surface antigens (such as glycolipids) are not recognized by the immune system. Laboratory-produced anti-idiotype antibodies mimicking these structures are being tested as vaccines to enable their recognition. They activate immunity and stimulate antibody production against cancer cells. In other words, they act as cancer cell antigens. When injected, the vaccine enables recognition of antigens on cancer cells.

Scientific criticisms of Cuban-produced vaccines

It must be emphasized that CIMAvax and VAXIRA do not promise a definitive cure for lung cancer. Their manufacturers also specifically emphasize this.

• These vaccines do not directly target cancer cells, but target molecules supporting cancer growth, proliferation and metastasis : EGF and NeuGcGM3. The main goal is therefore to turn lung cancer into a "chronic disease."
• The vaccine's immune response is mediated not through the immune system's main cells (T cells, NK cells and macrophages), but through antibodies; therefore, a very short-lived benefit is observed. It also produces weak immunogenicity. Furthermore, non-small-cell lung cancer has numerous antigens. Thus, the effect of this vaccine, targeting a single antigen, is low. Lung cancers are types in which the tumor microenvironment is highly influential. Different cells in this environment suppress immunity, reducing the effectiveness of cancer vaccines that increase immune activity.

Conclusion

The graph belowsummarizes the information above and strikingly illustrates where Cuban vaccines and modern treatments stand in lung cancer.

Related Topics:

- THE REALITY OF CANCER IN CUBA, using Cuba's own official data

- Scientific facts about Cuban lung cancer vaccines (detailed)

- Oh no, Cuba's cancer vaccine is in the news again!

- Why has cancer not been completely cured?

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