What an mRNA melanoma vaccine may mean for cancer treatment

Moderna and Merck say an mRNA vaccine reduced melanoma recurrence in a clinical trial. Could this usher in a new era of cancer treatment?

A new mRNA vaccine for melanoma is making headlines. Moderna and Merck recently announced results from their clinical trial suggesting that this new vaccine, in combination with the cancer drug Keytruda, reduced recurrence rates in patients. The companies have not yet released full data from the trial.

So, how does the vaccine work? And does this mark the beginning of a new era of cancer treatments using mRNA vaccine technology? Ira talks with physician Michael Postow, whose patients were part of the drug trial at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.

Guest:

Dr. Michael Postow is chief of the melanoma service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. 

Transcript will be available after the show airs on sciencefriday.com.

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