Prostate cancer vaccine could be on the horizon

A vaccine has been discovered by researchers that could change the way cancer is treated in the future. The new drug is called Provenge and offers a brand new breakthrough in the battle against prostate cancer. The drug could receive clearance from the Food and Drug Administration as early as this week and has shown promise in fighting a disease that affects nearly 200,000 men a year, killing 27,000.

Provenge has shown an ability to prolong the lives of men battling prostate cancer. Testing on Provenge was conducted among 500 men with advanced forms of prostate cancer. Half the men in the test were given a placebo while the other half were given Provenge. Among those who received Provenge, life expectancy increased about four months. While the increase was small it was noted that the study was conducted among men with very advanced forms of the disease.

Provenge is not designed to be a preventative treatment, but is aimed at treating those with advanced forms of the disease. Each treatment is personalized to the individual and tricks the tumor into stimulating the body’s immune system to attack the tumor itself. Treatments however are very expensive, ranging from $50,000 to $75,000.

The new drug however, unlike traditional treatments such as radiation, chemotherapy, and surgery is not believed to carry the major risks of the other methods. While radiation and chemotherapy can spread harm throughout the body during treatment, Provenge is designed to attack just the tumor. Provenge’s lone known side effect is that the drug simply would fail to treat the disease.