Cancer is the leading cause of death in Thailand, with rising numbers of patients each year due to external factors such as diet, stress, viruses, smoking, and alcohol. To combat this, cancer treatment is being developed to increase efficacy and minimize side effects. Vejthani Hospital’s Dr. Vigrom Jennetisin notes that personalized cancer vaccines have been developed in Thailand. These vaccines use data from a patient’s cancer mutations to stimulate their immune system, targeting specific mutations and improving their ability to fight the disease.

A personalized cancer vaccine involves analyzing biopsy samples and genetic codes to detect cancer cell mutations, which are then used to produce a vaccine that stimulates white blood cells or T cells to recognize and target specific cancer mutations. The vaccine can delay or inhibit cancer cell growth, reduce tumor size, prevent recurrence, or destroy cancer cells resistant to other treatments like surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, targeted therapy, or immunotherapy. Treatment guidelines for each patient require a multidisciplinary approach that considers the most suitable and effective options with the least side effects.

Surgery is a conventional treatment for early-stage cancer, while radiation therapy uses high-energy beams to hinder cancer cell growth and destroy existing cells, but may have low specificity. Chemotherapy is effective against metastatic cancer but has low specificity and severe side effects. Hormonal therapy is limited to certain types of cancer. Targeted therapy is suitable for mutated cancer cells and has mild side effects. Immunotherapy stimulates the immune system to fight cancer cells but may also reduce immune functions.