https://www.9news.com.au/health/covid-19-vaccine-cancer-treatment-study-science-medical/8a82386c-627a-45f5-88b7-f4a73ea236c9

The article from 9news.com.au discusses a study suggesting that COVID-19 vaccines could potentially help people with cancer live longer. The study, conducted by researchers at the Medical University of Vienna, suggests that mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines, like the Pfizer-BioNTech one, might have a beneficial effect against cancer.

Here's how the study claims the vaccines could help:

• Mechanism of Action: The study suggests that the lipid nanoparticle (LNP) that encases the mRNA in the vaccine (which normally delivers instructions for making the spike protein) might activate the body's T-cells to fight tumors.

• Study Findings: In mice, researchers found that when they injected the LNP (without the mRNA) into their bloodstream, it slowed down tumor growth. When they injected the full vaccine, they saw a "significantly greater" effect.

• Theories on the Effect:

  • One theory is that the LNP itself is activating the T-cells, which are crucial for the immune system to recognize and kill cancer cells.

  • Another theory is that the Spike protein produced by the vaccine, combined with the LNP, acts as a booster to the immune system. The researchers noted that in mice, the vaccine produced an immune response against the tumor by creating anti-tumor antibodies and cytotoxic T-cells.

• Conclusion: The study authors concluded that the vaccine "might not only induce protection against SARS-CoV-2 but also act as a potent systemic cancer immunotherapy."

The researchers cautioned that more studies in humans are needed to confirm these findings.

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