Newly discovered class of molecules may boost cancer vaccine development

Cancer vaccines are designed to heighten the immune system’s awareness of a tumor’s unique features, boosting its ability to recognize, attack, and destroy the cancer. To date, effective cancer vaccines have focused on what are called “neoantigens,” tumor-specific peptides that result from acquired mutations.  But not every tumor produces distinct antigens that the immune system can recognize. As a result,  current cancer vaccines don’t work for all patients.