Vaccination for melanoma

Our knowledge of the immune system has grown tremendously in the 50 years since Coley used bacteria in an attempt to create a vaccine for cancer. The strategy for cancer vaccines has developed in that time as well. Both clinical and laboratory evidence suggests that melanoma is the more immunogenic of solid tumors. If treated early, melanoma can be controlled with surgery, but many patients continue to die from it. With our increased understanding of the immune system’s interaction with melanoma, many clinical trials of melanoma vaccines are now underway. Vaccines designed to treat metastatic melanoma have shown some evidence of clinical effectiveness. This article outlines the current status of melanoma vaccination.