Editing Cancer vaccine (section)

== Method ==
One approach to cancer vaccination is to separate proteins from cancer cells and immunize patients against those proteins as [[antigen]]s, in the hope of stimulating the immune system to kill the cancer cells. Research on cancer vaccines is underway for treatment of [[Breast cancer|breast]], [[Lung cancer|lung]], [[Colon cancer|colon]], [[Skin cancer|skin]], [[Kidney cancer|kidney]], [[Prostate cancer|prostate]] and other cancers.<ref>{{cite journal | vauthors = Giarelli E | title = Cancer vaccines: a new frontier in prevention and treatment | journal = Oncology | volume = 21 | issue = 11 Suppl Nurse Ed | pages = 11–7; discussion 18 | date = October 2007 | pmid = 18154203 }}</ref>

Another approach is to generate an immune response ''[[in situ]]'' in the patient using [[oncolytic viruses]]. This approach was used in the drug [[talimogene laherparepvec]], a variant of [[herpes simplex virus]] engineered to selectively replicate in tumor tissue and to express the immune stimulatory protein [[GM-CSF]]. This enhances the anti-tumor immune response to [[tumor antigen]]s released following [[viral lysis]], creating a patient-specific vaccine.<ref name=":0">Amgen press release. Amgen announces top-line results of phase 3 talimogene laherparepvec trial in melanoma. Mar 19, 2013. Available [http://www.amgen.com/media/media_pr_detail.jsp?releaseID=1798143 here] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140121171911/http://www.amgen.com/media/media_pr_detail.jsp?releaseID=1798143 |date=21 January 2014 }}</ref>