GUWAHATI, Nov 12: Cancer vaccines could become available globally within the next five to 10 years, scientist Dr Rubul Maut said.
He said advances in protein design, artificial intelligence and biotechnology had opened new avenues in cancer treatment. Personalised vaccines could help identify a patient's specific cancer cells and enable targeted treatment, he added.
Dr Maut said the new approach involved analysing a patient's genetic characteristics and the structure of cancer cells before preparing treatment. This could reduce side effects on healthy tissues compared with conventional treatment methods.
Research in protein design and AI-assisted drug discovery was also under way to speed up the development of medicines and reduce research costs, he said.
Immunotherapy drugs such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab, also known as Keytruda, are currently used in cancer treatment. These drugs help activate the body's immune system against cancer cells.
Dr Maut said wider availability of advanced treatments over the next five to 10 years would require further research, trials and progress in medical science.
He is associated with research in protein design and biotechnology. No universal vaccine for all types of cancer is currently available.