Technological Advances

Tumor Vaccines

Researchers have been developing vaccines that will, hopefully, allow the immune system to recognize cancer cellsl; a patient is given the vaccine after being diagnosed and/or cured to ensure that if the cancer or tumors return the body will kill it. To this day, though, these vaccines have only been used in clinical trials.

Monoclonal Antibodies

Approved by the FDA in 2004, these drugs are meant to introduce antibodies to the body that will stick to the invading cancer cells and kill it; according to scientists, these antibodies are supposed to have fewer side effects compared to chemotherapy.

• Avastin - used as an injection along with chemotherapy, it prevents tumors from creating blood cells in order to gain nutrients; this may interfere with the growth of tumors.
• Erbitux - attacks the proteins on a cancer cell that allows the cell to grow.