Amidst the maelstrom of novel cancer treatments featured in the news, cancer vaccines have become a rapidly advancing method for preventing, treating and personalizing cancer medicine.

According to the Cancer Research Institute, various cancer vaccines either exist or are currently being tested in clinical trials. However, unlike vaccines for influenza and COVID-19, many of them are not meant to be preventative. Instead, cancer vaccines may help the immune system attack pre-existing cancerous cells based on their specific mutations, making them more of a treatment than a prophylaxis — a measure meant to prevent the spread of disease.